


The Meaning of Love

by alliyssonS



Series: The Meaning [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Niall Horan, Blackmail, Boss Harry, Boss/Employee Relationship, Jealous Zayn, Jealousy, M/M, Mean Harry, Omega Louis, Possessive Harry, Rich Harry, company spying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-01 17:00:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alliyssonS/pseuds/alliyssonS
Summary: Harry is the CEO of Styles Inc, Louis is a law student at the University of London. They met in a bar, spent a wonderful night together and ended up in Harry's bed.The next morning, Louis left Harry's house promising himself to never see the man again, but what happened when Louis end up having to do is internship in Harry's company, condemned to see the man on the daily.Or the one where Louis waltz his way in an alpha heart and Harry struggles with his feelings, while a third party tries to destroy everything Harry has ever worked for.





	1. The First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! *smiling overly sweetly*  
Good reading!!

It was barely 8am and Louis was already running like a mad men across campus. This year was supposed to be different but apparently tardiness is ingrained in his DNA because even though he did set an appropriate amount of alarm, three thank you very much, it still appears to be unhelpful when confront to the sweet appeal of his beauty sleep. Without any second thought louis just barge in the filled amphitheatre, noisily and hyperventilating. Well, if he’s condemned, he can at least make a grand entrance. Louis decided to leave it at that and went to sit on one of the few spare chairs left. The professor, a fairly young, but really boring men started his lesson back, prompting everybody to start paying attention again. 

“Well, seems like a good start..”

People always think Uni is easy, after a long day Louis can knowingly affirm that’s not true at all. Even with this year being his second one already, he isn’t that much prepared for what’s to come. Louis was slowly walking home after his last class, contemplating how beautiful it would be if Niall had prepared something to eat. A boy can dream right? the lad never even come inside the kitchen if the meal isn’t already on the table.  
Louis first year of uni was spent essay-writing, binge drinking and party going and with the ever constant presence of the one true Niall Horan, so when the time has came to look for a new habitation and the question of flatmate was asked, Niall was, of course, an obvious choice. 

Stepping through the threshold, Louis dumped his bag on the floor and start calling for his one true love  
“Honey, I’m home”  
“living!”  
“The fuck are you doing?”  
Niall was literally sprawled on the couch, with only his boxers on, TV off and a book in his lap.  
“reading”  
“I see that but why?”  
“class thing”

Louis walked to the armchair on the side of the couch and let his body heavily fell down on it, “you’re majoring in sport Niall, I don’t think you need to read that much”  
“I’m majoring in sport management and I do have to read you git, it’s not just has much as you law lovers.” Louis took that opportunity to change the subject  
“I was late this morning”  
“nothing surprising here”  
“it’s not that bad I’m often on time at things”  
“who was the professor?”  
“Jenkins, mid-length hair, square glasses, you see who I’m talking about?”  
“not sure but whatever”,  
Niall suddenly threw his hands at the ceiling while letting out a loud sight, “I’m already fed up with this and it’s only the first day”, he slowly managed to correctly sat on the couch “let’s go out friday night…”  
“it’s the first week Niall”  
“yeah, you’re right let’s celebrate”  
Louis just snorted, “and what are we celebrating exactly”  
“the new year my dear, new beginnings”  
“yeah sure”.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Fridays are the worst, it’s boring meetings after boring meetings, Harry just can’t stand them anymore. oh how he would love to just jump on his feet and leave the room.Technically he could, he’s basically running everything around here, but he won’t let Liam suffer through it all on his own, he’s a good friend like that. Sitting with them was Kat Everdeen, the Head of Legal Department, Jeremy Abbott, Human Resources, Edward Terson, General Manager in charge of Styles Industries and Construction and his Production Manager, Charlize Northwood. All of them were there just to tell Harry that everything is going according to plan, or so he hopes everytime this meeting take place. 

“… and I think with this method we could increase our efficiency significantly, Mr Styles” said Charlize with hesitance

The aforementioned stared at her a bit more just to see if she would start crying, again. she didn’t though, good on her, he decide to grace her with an answer

“I want all the precise details and the cost of the whole ordeal on my desk by wednesday at noon.”  
“of course”  
“anything else to cover?”  
a chorus of no Sirs followed his inquiring, “well get back to work then”

Everybody scrambled to leave the meeting room at the top of the ten story building that shelter the Styles Incorporation offices. Harry and Liam were, as usual, the last ones to leave, Liam was again using strange hyperbolas to retell his wild night with young uni students, sometimes harry thinks his friend still believe he’s 24 or something, well. luckily they were just about to reach Harry’s office  
“tell me when you have news on the Johnson report”  
“will do mate”

Just when he was about to open his office doors, James, his assistant told him that the prime minister wanted him to call whenever he was available. Closing his door after him, Harry let out a loud sigh anticipating what was to come with this conversation.  
he took long strides to his office chair and let his body fell down on it. you see, Harry is in a bit of a predicament, with his rut starting tonight he’s already on the edge of civility, he can not deal with greedy politicians who only want to put their greedy paws on his company, he knows this type of men, he already dealt with some of them, willingly or not. 15% of his company is own by the United-Kingdom, they won’t have more.  
Just when he was about to shoot him a text, Liam materialize at his door like he was waiting for his cue the whole time.  
“you look even worse than before, and I just left you”  
“PM wants me to give him a call”  
“screw him he can’t force you”  
“I know that, it doesn’t make it any less bothering though” after a bit of silence Liam said  
“your rut’s starting right? let’s go out tonight, to a club or something, just unwind before the weekend start, who knows you could find an O tonight. Come on it’s been a while”  
“yeah sure most unlikely but if you insist”

The thing is, 10% of the world population is carrying the A/O gene in their DNA. when the concerned people hit puberty, 14 years old for the girls and 16 for the boys, the gene mute as either Omega or Alpha, regardless of the first gender of the person. nobody can explain why and the only thing known is that it’s hereditary. the rest of the human population doesn’t understand and neither do A/Os. All that Harry knows is that his family are all full-bred and really proud of it, as if never mixing with the 99 other percent was an achievement.  
Harry took his things and followed liam outside his office doors, closing it firmly behind them, too much sensitive informations.

The elevator took them down to the underground parking, they decide to go back to their respective houses before meeting in front of the Fabric in Farringdon.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

“Where are we going you said?”  
“the Fabric, it’s gonna be bomb”  
“Niall!! It’s too expensive, it’s like luxury shit in there”  
“don’t worry I know a guy”  
Louis did follow not without apprehension about what’s to come, not really sure about Niall plan whatever that plan is.  
Turns out he did knew someone, who was flastly ushering them inside without so much as a glance their way by the bouncer. They move through the crowd till they reach the bar on the side wall of the club.

“Told you we would get in”  
“well done Niall, you impress me once more”  
“naturally, what do you want the first round on me”  
“what a gent, just get me a pint I’m heading to the loo quickly”

Louis undertook to cross the crowd once more in a quest for the lavatories when the smell hit him. At first it was faint but the more he was approaching the other side of the room the more potent it was. That’s when he saw him, in the VIP corner, tall, muscly, rugged, curly hair, green eyes, an Alpha, and a handsome one at that. Louis was like paralyzed, he’s used to see alphas around but they’re young and so boring looking. This one was everything but boring, louis saw him turn his head and before he can do anything the curly haired man land his sight on louis, smiled at him and carry on with his conversation with another guy, alpha too it seems, are they evolving in groups of handsome blokes or what. Louis resume his trip to the loo thinking how he will do to get that to at least have sex with him. 

On his way back to niall he chanced a glance in the VIP corner just to see green eyes chatting up a random girl. Reclaiming his barstool he takes a big gulp of the fresh pint in front of him, thirst satisfied, he launched himself in a thorough description of the alpha he’s unlikely to get. From there the conversation went on from alphas in uni to how dating is so much easier for non-A/Os. Without knowing they were already at their third pint and niall was ready to hit the dancefloor. Louis was contemplating doing the same or ordering a new drink, maybe something fruity, when a presence made itself known behind him. The same scent that stopped him earlier was so close to him now, he didn’t even understand how he didn’t smell his approach. Turning around, Louis was met with the greenest forest he ever saw just before his sight fell on plush pink lips way too close for a first meeting. Trying to maintain a semblance of distance louis leaned away from the guy. fortunately he got the hint and took a step back. then with the best smirk he can fathom he started talking

“can I take this seat”  
“well I’m not the club owner so really do what you want”, stop smart mouthing you tit  
“oh thanks”, he sat himself comfortably on the stool, “name’s Harry”  
“Louis”  
“beautiful, it’s french”  
“I’m not though”  
“not missing anything believe me, they’re all full of themselves”  
Louis laughed at that, “you know a lot of them?”  
“I know a lot of people”  
Casting a glance around, Louis asked with a little smile “and were are all those people?”  
“surely ruining the life of someone else”  
“I don’t know what you do for a living but it seems annoying by the heard of it”  
“the work’s great it’s the people the problem… and you what do you do?” Harry change subject before anymore about his line of work can be revealed, he was relishing in the fact that Louis was apparently not aware of who he was and it was a relief.  
“I study law at the University of London, and work part-time as a barista in a little coffee shop just down the road from the campus, nothing too exciting but it pays rent so I can’t complain.”

That’s the moment Niall chose to interrupt without even realising it, “I’m going home mate, won’t lock the door but I won’t be alone”, he said pointing toward the door, louis couldn’t really see but he was sure there was a girl waiting by it, “you’ll be okay?”  
“would be fine mate don’t worry for me, you go enjoy your night”  
“perfect see you in the morning bro’”  
And just like that the whirlwind that was Niall Horan just vanished into the crowd  
“so tell me more about you, what’s your family like?”  
“big, there’s like, seven of us, I’m the oldest” Louis said with a proud smile  
“I only have one big sister and I already think she’s a handful, don’t know how you did honestly” they shared a laugh after that, Louis started recounting an anecdote that happened to Lottie when they were both very young, and Harry looked delighted the whole time, he shared some stories himself, and they didn’t see the night passing by.  
Louis remembers where they were when Harry’s hand landed high on his left thigh, he fixed his eyes on him and with the same smile he started the conversation with before, he invited Louis back to his flat, Louis smiled and said  
“I thought you would never asked”.

When Louis saw the car, he asked himself what Harry was doing exactly for a living, promptly forget about it and got inside, then he recognize the area they were heading to and once again the question pass through his mind but once again he decided not to ask.  
He finally let it slip when he came inside the house, really a mansion, and came across a picture of Harry and the current Prime Minister shaking hands in an office, and smiling like old friends.

“Harry, what do you do for a living?”  
“told you, bickering with french people”,  
“and when you’re not bickering with french people?”  
“bickering with chinese people, harder to please,” louis rolled his eyes but carry on anyway “and about what exactly?”  
“new technologies for the most part, harry’s smile was enigmatic and louis so wanted to know”  
“I’m pretty well versed in computer algorithm, should I know the company you work for?”  
“Is Styles Electronics ringing any bell to you”  
“are you kidding they’re like the leaders on the market, never saw the owner though”, Louis didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence when harry just surge forward and bracket him against the wall, the plush lips Louis dreams about all night already flushed against his, tasting like beer and fruity cocktails. He put his hands under louis’ thighs and lift him up, allowing him to wrap his legs around harry’s waist. Everything got heated pretty quickly after that, and it’s only when Harry all but threw him on the king size bed that Louis understood why his smell was that heavy, Harry was in rut and it will definitely be a hell of a ride, Louis couldn’t be more ready.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Louis would say he doesn’t have an habit of waking up in stranger's’ bed, he would be lying though, because it did happen more often than not. What doesn’t happen is the fact that the stranger’s sheets feel so expensive to the touch, Louis turn around in the bed, intending to sprawl himself in the soft mattress when his hand land on a hard and define abdomen, “good morning to you too” a gravelly voice greeted him, louis opens his eyes with a smile on his face, just to be blessed by the perfection that is Harry Styles in the morning.  
“hmm that’s not fair you’re too handsome for too early in the morning”,  
“it’s noon actually, didn’t want to wake you up, hope you didn’t had work or something…”  
“no it’s ok it’s saturday I’ve all day free”, louis said just now realising, harry was in fact working himself, with is laptop propped up on a pillow on his lap. “but if you need me to leave I can easily get rid of your hair”  
“no… yes… I mean.. I don’t mind”  
“oh perfect then…”  
Remembering their night, Louis tough about what he learned and add, “so we’ll never get to finish that conversation yesterday…”  
“which one?”  
“Styles Inc, the boss no one never seem to see… people say he got something to hide with how we never saw him in the papers and such. is he nice?”  
“don’t know what do you think?” Harry said while putting his laptop away and getting comfortable alongside Louis, he gently push Louis on his back and laid down on him, his eyes never leaving Louis’. realisation flashed through Louis’ face and he couldn’t help but laugh,  
“you’re Harry Styles” he said once he managed to calm down “you’re Harry freaking Styles”, Harry was just looking at him, smirking with inner satisfaction at the effect of the reveal.  
now that Louis put two and two together it’s not quite hard to see, “I can’t believe I didn’t realise it earlier”  
“don’t worry I’m not offended” Harry said laughing, he took this opportunity to kiss Louis once more, Louis was feeling all kind of things but mainly he was feeling good, it didn’t happen in a long time, him just feeling good with everything surrounding, mostly the alpha on top of him. Harry felt heavy between his legs, their tongues dancing together in Louis’ mouth. After what felt like hours Harry part away from Louis and smiles at him  
“I like when you smile”  
“you do?” harry asked smiling even more, revealing devastating dimples  
“yeah, I feel like you don’t get to smile very often”  
“let just said that I’m not around people that like to smile that much”  
“well I like when you smile, I like those”, louis gestured to poke one of the aforementioned dimples and smiled when he made contact with soft skin, “they’re pretty”  
“thank you, you’re hungry?”  
“famished”  
“Let’s have breakfast then”, Harry said, up and already putting on a pair of sweatpants, walking through the door and already halfway down the corridors he asked, “how do you like your eggs?”  
Deciding to answer him in person Louis got up from the bed get his panties from the floor and slide on a shirt, surely Harry’s one, that was hanging on the side of a chair. He smiled at the smell of alpha lingering on the shirt. Walking down the stairs Louis uses this time to get acquainted a bit more with the house, reaching the bottom step Louis starts following the now familiar scent of cinnamon and green apple to the kitchen, there he was met with a lovely sight, Harry Styles making pancakes and grilling bacon,  
“be careful I could get use to that treatment very quickly”  
Harry smile didn’t quite reach his eyes when he said “you shouldn’t”, Louis smile fell at that, not that he though something could have blossomed from tonight, but at least keeping contact, being so openly rejected was hard. But obviously Harry doesn’t have time to spare for little old Louis.  
“so that’s your M.O then, I see, a great shag, a good breakfast and goodbye, and tell me how many are we in this little club?”  
Harry frowned at that, looking hurt, “Louis I don’t do relationships, I’m sorry if I made you think otherwise but that’s the way it is… and believe it or not I don’t do that very often” Harry said just looking into his eyes

Louis was at a loss of words, suddenly feeling very stupid in the shirt, Harry put a full plate in front of him before taking a seat on the other side of the kitchen island. Louis wasn’t hungry anymore but he ate everything while appearing unbothered by the whole ordeal, because he’s a proud man.  
Harry tried to talk to him, asking about his studies  
“I’m just starting my second years at uni”  
“yeah, law is it? you have internship to do this year right?”  
And just when he thought it couldn’t be worse, Louis remembered where exactly he applied for said internship and prayed all the deity he know just to be sure to accepted anywhere than at Styles Inc. He doesn’t know how he would cope, leaving and forgetting about Harry is one thing, but if he has to work with him on a daily Louis’ not sure how he would do to not want him  
He decides to not say a thing, his meal finished, Louis jogged up the stairs to retrieve his belongings, throwing the shirt dramatically on the bed before going back down, pocketing his wallet, phone already at his ear to order a cab. The cab on his way Louis walks to the kitchen, because he’s a good guest so he’ll say goodbye

He didn’t had time to reach the kitchen that Harry was walking out of it  
“let me at least pay for your cab”  
“I’m not a high class prostitute”, Louis knew it wasn’t at all what Harry was implying but he was sad so screw it  
“that’s not at all what I was saying, Lou you know it”  
“anyway I was just coming to say goodbye”, at just the right moment, the cab driver honks from outside the gates, “that’s my cue to leave”, walking away Louis did a u-turn and planted his feet in the floor, Harry was still watching him  
“Last night when you came talk to me, was it just because of your rut? was it my omega or did you actually want me?” he needed to know, Harry took a breath and then  
“the first time our eyes met I stopped breathing a bit, couldn’t believe you were real, that this delicious strawberry and melted chocolate scent was concealed in the most beautiful omega body I’ve ever seen. I saw you with your friend, and all I could think about was how your laughing face was emitting his own powerful light competing with the biggest strobe in the club.” he took two long step to get in front of louis face, “Louis, in any other circumstances I wouldn’t have let you leave but you need to understand that it’s better that way”.

Louis closed his eyes, took a breath and nodded slightly, he took a final look at Harry and stepped outside getting in the cab that was waiting for him, it took some effort but he succeeded to wait at least half the way back home before silently sobbing in the back of the car watching the outside world, looking like the clichés he hates so much


	2. They Meet Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyy!!! thanks for the kudos on the last chapter 
> 
> Here's the new one and *Drumroll* Zayyyn yaaaassss!!!
> 
> A little JB reference in there, you blink you miss it
> 
> JB stand for Jonas Brothers btw, not Justin B 
> 
> Enjoy your reading   
Xx

Louis didn’t think about Harry for a month after that, he was busy enough with school and his job to not being able to think about him. After he went home, he retold everything to Niall, from the moment he left the night before to the teary cab ride of shame when he got back. And he decided to forget about the alpha altogether.  
So when the first internship application refusal appeared Louis naturally didn’t thought about Harry. At the fourth one, however, a memory sparked through his head and he remembered, along with the fact there were only two potential companies left and two weeks to get into one, that Styles Incorporation was one of them. 

After a not so pleasant interview with Johnson&Johnson’s HR team, Louis was now standing in front of Styles Incorporation Headquarters, mentally preparing himself for his only hope at an internship a week before it supposed to start in early November.   
The building wasn’t too high but still imposing, upon entry you were welcomed by two smart dressed receptionists, Louis walked to them a bit hesitantly  
“Hello, my name is Louis Tomlinson and I’m supposed to meet with the Human Resources Manager’s Assistant… Zayn Malik?”  
“ok, just take this badge, it’ll help you get through the security gates near the elevators, Mr Malik has been warned and will wait for you at the doors. Elevators are on the left, it will be on the 9th floor” she said quickly, giving Louis a regular ‘VISITOR’ badge and sending him on his way.  
The elevator’s ride wasn’t that long and Louis was barely able to put himself together for this meeting.  
When the doors open, Louis was met with a beautiful sight, tall and lanky, honey colored skin, golden eyes and jet black hair, all of that wrapped up in a very stylish looking outfit, wonderful and definitely omega.  
“Hello, my name is Zayn Malik, and I will be the one interviewing you today”  
“hi I’m Louis Tomlinson, I can’t wait to talk with you” Zayn was assessing him, surely recognizing Louis for what he was like Louis did him. He didn’t decipher the glint in Zayn’s eyes but he saw it.   
“Follow me, my office is on this side” he started walking to the right side of the hallway and Louis promptly followed him. Closing the door behind him Zayn showed Louis the only seat available in front of the desk.  
“So Louis, tell me about you?”  
“I’m a college student, in my second year, I’m preparing a law degree, and this internship is mandatory so I need it to complete my credits” Louis was ready to beg  
“why Styles Incorporation?” Because the boss is sexy Louis thought  
“because even if I want to specialised in children rights, I need the experience in another field. I chose the businesses because trade laws always fascinated me, add to that my love for all things technology and Styles Incorporation was an obvious choice” Louis recited his well rehearsed speech, hoping it sounds natural, Zayn didn’t seem overly impress but he was smiling, it was a start.   
They talked a bit more about what it would intake to work there, work hours and payment for instance. At the end of their exchange Louis was pretty sure it was a set deal, he was still not convinced it was a good thing. Walking him to the door, Zayn said, “I have to check with my superiors and I’ll call to let you know our decision”  
“Thank you very much Zayn”  
“Thank you to you Louis”

Now that Louis is out, Zayn don’t know what to do, Louis is perfect for the job but the fact that he is an omega make it hard to push his application through. Zayn knows how selfish and petty it sounds but he can’t help it, Louis is smart and so pretty, the raven haired boy knows an alpha that will undoubtedly fall for it. He will be damned if he let that happen.

Jeremy Abbott, took this moment to make his entrance in Zayn’s office “do you have the file for all the internship candidates?” walking to the desk, the Human Resources Manager takes hold of the file currently on Zayn’s desk, Louis’ one. Jeremy opened it and red quickly “that’s good, is he the only one?”   
Everything is happening too quickly and Zayn doesn’t know what to say “hmm yeah” apparently that’s what he said   
“ok go check it with Kat see if she has something to say about him and give him a call”   
“yeah sure” on his way out, Jeremy turns around to say “oh and bring me the files of the workers who want a raise after that please” and just like that he was out. Zayn slumped in his seat, he couldn’t be more disappointed. He couldn’t reverse path now, everything was already in motion and he’ll have to do with the minor inconvenience that is another omega in the vicinity.

On his way back from getting Kat’s approval for Louis, Zayn walked past Liam Payne’s office, and there he was, tall and powerful in front of a still seated Liam. Harry Styles, Zayn’s alpha, at least that’s what he wants since as long as he can remember. Harry has always been there, he went to school with Zayn’s older sister, they were good friends, still are in fact. That was how Zayn met Harry, at first it was just an harmless teenage crush, but the more the years passed the more Zayn was feeling as if it was meant to be. Zayn and Harry’s parents were long time friends, evolving in the same social circle they were in when they were toddlers themselves. It just makes sense for Zayn and Harry to bond and the butterflies Zayn was feeling inside his belly couldn’t be wrong.   
Moving away before being seen and accused of slacking Zayn went down to his office to give the dreadful call.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Monday morning found Louis up and ready to take on the world, showered and smartly dressed Louis took the tube to Central London, and walked the short distance between the tube station and his new temporary office.  
Inside the building he went straight to the receptionist and asked for the intern badge that would surely be waiting for him. The small card she gave him was attach to a strap long enough for him to tuck it around his neck. Louis select the 9th floor with giddy excitement and a slight apprehension, he knows it’ll take time before he feel totally comfortable working so close to Harry, but he’s confident, if he don’t wander on the tenth floor he’ll be ok.  
Zayn was there when the doors opened, face pinched and looking ready to explode “Hello Louis, it’s nice to see you again”   
“Hello Zayn, how are you?”  
“perfect, come with me I’ll introduce you to your mentor” he started walking down the hallway, to the left this time and Louis followed him wondering what happened between today and a week ago.

“Here’s her office, I’ll leave you to it I have work to do” he half run to the other side of the hallway leaving Louis there to fend for himself. On the door plate one could read K.Everdeen, Head of Legal Department. Louis knocked on the door and waited for an answer, a woman voice told him to come in and he entered a lightly decorated office.  
“hello My name is Louis Tomlinson, I’m the new intern”  
“oh yes of course I was expecting you any minute now, I’m Kat Everdeen”   
“yeah I had to find the office” He decided to not mention Zayn and his weird behaviour from earlier, blaming it on a stressful day.  
“this will be your desk” she said pointing to a corner desk in her more than large office “please unpack your belongings and get settled, you can decorate it if you want, but it’s not necessary”. Louis took a seat at his desk and took out his laptop and a notepad from his shoulder bag before looking at Kat once more, “you’ll work alongside me for the duration of your internship, you will witness a lot of meetings where sensitive informations will be exchange, you’ll need to be of the utmost discretion. Styles Incorporation is, as you surely know, the Headquarter for Styles Electronics, Industries and Styles Construction. we’re owned at 15% by the government so we have to be careful because although they can’t do anything precise, they have the right to snoop into our eventuals loopholes. the other 85% are owned by the company founder, Harry Styles. but before I tell you more you need to sign an NDA, don’t worry it’s requirement for all the employees.”   
She was talking too fast for Louis and all he seems to decipher was the fact that Styles Inc was even bigger than he thought. Louis stood up to sign the papers not without having a thorough read of what it entails.   
Papers signed, Kat stands up too, and takes her phone “Follow me, I’ll introduce you to the big Boss”. They took the elevator to the top floor and arrived in front of a close area with glass walls. It looks like a meeting room, on the other side were double doors surrounded by solid stone walls. Harry’s office. Louis wasn’t really prepared to see him but they were already walking through the door. Deep inside him Louis had the faint hope that his Harry and this Harry wasn’t the same one, but unfortunately they were indeed one and the same.  
“Hello Harry, sorry to disturb you but I wanted to introduce you my new intern, before you start wondering why there’s a kid wandering in our hallways,”  
their eyes met and Harry raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow, surely recognizing Louis and no doubt wondering what the hell he was doing here. Maybe Louis should have said something about the internship in Harry’s kitchen after all.  
Harry stood up and rounded the desk to stand in front of them, his perfectly tailored suit fell like a second skin on him, looking as expensive as it cost Louis’ sure.  
“This is Louis Tomlinson”  
“Hello Harry Styles nice to meet you” Harry move to shake Louis’ hand and the look in his eyes told Louis everything he needed to know, Harry was remembering really well who exactly Louis was “Likewise Mr. Styles”  
“how long will your internship be?”  
“8 months at least, more if you’ll have me” the implication wasn’t lost on harry at all, Kat makes herself known by saying “we’ll see how you doing after the first 8 months before taking any decision, thanks for your time Harry I’ll see you later”   
Kat directed Louis out of the office and down the hallway to theirs “that’s not the smartest way to start a career you know?”  
“what do you mean?”  
“hitting on the boss doesn’t work out like in movies just so you know, the intern rarely end up married to the guy”  
entering the office Louis answered “I did no such things”  
“I saw the look in your eyes, you’re not the only one that fell for his pretty face nor the more suitable”  
“did you?” Louis asked challengingly “fell for his pretty face I mean”  
“not me, but poor Zayn is in it deep” she said without the slight bit of sympathy  
That’s when Zayn earlier behaviour started making sense, being an omega himself Zayn feel challenged on his own territory and if his brain already claimed Harry as his, it’s normal for him to feel jealous of Louis presence, if only he knew “who accepted my application” Louis asked disturbing her in her file analysis “not Harry if it’s what you asked”  
“No it wasn’t, but thanks for the clearance” Louis answered with a hard tone “was just to know that’s all”  
“Zayn, Jeremy the HR manager, and myself”  
Louis knew if Zayn would’ve been the only one making the decision, he wouldn’t be here in the first place that’s for sure, he should thank Kat, but he didn’t because she’s cold and weird.

“What did you mean by not suitable?” she actually rolled her eyes at that  
“Listen Louis you’re surely a beautiful boy and according to Harry’s reaction, you’re an attractive omega” she leaned on her chair before talking more “Harry’s life is complicated, he’s the heir of a really wealthy, really noble family, with some deep ingrained values that could categorize as ancient for some people. He has to mate with a wealthy omega, or at least one from their social circle.” she stared at Louis for a long time, he tried not to appear too crushed by the news, even if he had already decided to forget about the alpha being told in so many words how their romance would likely never happened was harsh. “If it can appease you Harry doesn’t agree with that and thinks it’s bullshit”   
“How do you know so many things about Harry?”  
“I’ve been working here for 8 years now, we can say Harry and I are friends, Liam is still is best friends though” Louis reminds himself of the alpha guy with Harry that night and decided he has the face of a Liam. “if I’m telling you all of this it’s because you seems like a smart guy, it would be sad to put a damp on your professional career just because you ill advisedly mixed feelings with work. you’re young you’ll find a more suitable alpha for you”

After a bit of silence she stands up and brought to me some heavy looking files, “start by reading those, correct any mistake and find every loophole you can in those contracts, they have to be on Harry desk tonight before he leaves, he has to valid them himself. those are potential new clients so no need to tell you how important this is”  
“are you sure you want to give them to me I mean I’m only starting…”  
“don’t you feel capable of doing this?” the tone she used made it really clear there were only one good answer  
“Yes of course, I’ll get to it now”  
“thank you”   
Louis launched himself in his work, understanding once again why he loves contract law so much, turns out the contract he was working with wasn’t too complicated, Terms of Sales and Purchases of the company, renewal of suppliers’ contract and the like. Louis worked like that till lunch break, Kat indicated him how to find the office restaurant and told him to be back at half past one. Upon entering the dining area Louis realise two things, one it was an actual restaurant with a chief named Laurent and big round tables, two there was a lot of people sat around, like how many people are working in this building? 

Louis feels suddenly extremely small, he doesn’t know where to go, he would have seek out Zayn but after what Kat told him he feels like he won’t really be welcomed. At the end he just took some food from the buffet laid down by the chief and went to seat at a little table not far from the corner of the room, not seeing the incredulous looks sent his way by some people around. He’s just about to enjoy his meal when the noise around seems to lessen a bit and raising his head he understands why, near the open doors stood Harry Styles and what appears to be the infamous Liam, talking and slowly making their way to the food, it feels like everybody is watching them move.  
Louis discreetly looked for Zayn in the room and found him and the guy he was with already watching him, the same smirk on their face. Louis bends his head hoping Harry wouldn’t see him in his lonely misery, but apparently luck wasn’t his today. He raises his head again when a cough is heard, Harry and Liam are standing tall and imposing in front of him, two alpha males ready to take on the world, and Louis never felt so tiny before.  
“Please don’t tell me this is your table?” his question is only met with silent stares, Louis starts to regroup his things when Liam said “No need to leave there’s plenty of room for all of us” he sat down and invited Harry to the same with a single look. He did, choosing to sit next to Liam and opposite Louis “So you’re the new LD intern right? I’m Liam payne, the CFO of the company nice to meet you”  
“Nice to meet you too, I’m Louis Tomlinson” Louis casts a glance toward Harry, not sure about the extent of what he said to Liam about him. “I know” apparently a lot of it by the knowing look Liam is throwing Louis’ way as he talks.   
Conversation slowly start back around them and Louis feels better, less observed.  
“So Louis tell me, why did you apply to Styles Inc?” Liam ask seriously, and already Louis feels on edge, he knows exactly why he applied at the first place, the real question is why didn’t he withdraw his application when everything went sour with Harry.  
“It’s a good company”  
“There’s dozen of good companies round Central London, why here” looking at Harry, Louis realised he was, in fact, listening to their conversation, he felt cornered, obligated to tell the truth.   
“I’m kind of a geek, I’ve always been interested in new technologies, I’m really impressed by the product quality displayed by Styles Electronics, take the Phantom4 for example, the way you managed to boost the battery autonomy while reducing the weight of the phone, I found it fascinating and I wanted to see how you came up with that. The curved screen too, that was an awesome advanced. During my first week of college I had to apply for the mandatory internship and Styles Inc was an obvious choice. I did apply to other jobs of course but nothing quite as interesting as this.” Louis felt the way Harry was watching him, he didn’t dare turn his head even a bit in fear of an eye contact he wouldn’t support. He needed Harry to hear that though, needed him to understand how genuine he was. Liam and Harry shared a look and Louis felt like he missed something.

Lunch break was a tedious affair, after the interrogation Liam and Harry fell into a deeply technical conversation about the financial repercussion of a new technological discovery. They seemed to have forget about Louis’ presence when his phone started vibrating on the table, He was so deep in his head it completely startled him. It was a message from Niall asking him if he fancied take out for dinner, Louis smiled a bit at Niall aversion for proper grammar, and answered positively before locking his phone. Catching the time on his screen Louis finished eating quickly and stood up abruptly, attracting Harry and Liam’s attention. “I’m gonna be late, gotta go have a good day” he left without giving them the chance to answer something.  
Up on the 9th floor, Louis let out a sigh he didn’t new he was holding before walking to his office, opening the door he was met with Kat’s raised eyebrow, “I’m not late”   
“No you’re not” Louis walked to his chair and sat before rearranging is space, Kat was still looking at him.   
“I didn’t knew it was their table”  
“you didn’t change place though, must have been your lucky day”  
“if you were paying attention you must have seen I wasn’t really included in the conversation, they were just nice enough to spare me the shame of moving I suppose” she resumed working “yeah sure, nice isn’t really the word I would use to describe them but well,” she sigh “you’ll see for yourself”

Louis wasn't sure if he really wanted to see it for himself, changing the subject Louis told her how they’ll need to set a day for him to be at school once a week, as mentioned in his internship contract “Wednesday” she said without looking  
“hmm I would have prefered Friday actually” Louis tried with a bit of hesitance  
“Friday’s meeting day, that’s when a lot of things are settled. You need to be there, listening and taking notes,”  
Without adding anything Louis launched himself back in his task, completing more files than he ever saw, feeling as if it would never end. Round 5pm, Louis wondered at which time exactly Harry was leaving, he took his time nonetheless, seeing that his last five files were the new clients Kat told him about. Rereading carefully every paragraphs of the new clients contracts, Louis made sure everything was settled before taking the five of them to bring them to Harry. on his way to the big Boss office Louis can’t help but wonder what will Harry do when they’ll be alone.  
Walking past Harry’s assistant desk Louis noticed he wasn’t there anymore, panic surged through him thinking it was already too late, he knocks on the door and prayed every goddess for Harry to still be there. A deep voice granted him access and Louis sighs in relief. he opens the door and close it behind him  
“Those are the new clients contracts, You need to approve and sign them” Louis got closer to put the files on the desk and moves to get out when Harry stopped him  
“you need to take those back with you” Louis nodded and sat down on a surprisingly comfortable chair in front of Harry, and there, the wait begun.

Well into the third file Harry asked without looking “who’s Niall?” Louis wasn’t expecting that at all so he stuttered when answering “my… flatmate and euh… best friend why?”  
“was just wondering” Louis knows the only way Harry knows about Niall is to have seen the text from earlier, Niall asking him what he wanted to eat tonight, Louis saw perfectly how it could look from Harry’s point of view  
“Louis why are you here?” The younger one was fed up with this question  
“I already told Zayn, Kat and Liam about it, and if I’m not mistaking you were there for the latter”  
“I want you to tell me again”  
“it wasn’t for you if it’s what you desperately want to hear”  
“not really but it’s not my call”  
“could have been though”  
“I think we already rounded that question” 

Feeling uncomfortable with the path the conversation was taking Louis changed the subject and said “people say you’re not nice” Harry was still reading the contracts while conversing with Louis “people also say I’ve something to hide”   
the pinch Louis felt at the mention of their old conversation was deserved, he brought that on him.  
”Kat says you’re not nice”  
“can’t blame her, I’m not really nice round here” emphasis on the nice.

Louis watched Harry’s left cheek, remembering how it looks with a dimple in it “I think you’re nice, I think you’re acting all tough and all because you’re the Big Kahuna, but you’re, in fact, nice”   
Harry lift his eyes from the paper he’s reading “Louis..”   
“No, I know, don’t worry I know, nothing more will happen between us, you were perfectly clear two months ago, it’s just… I really would have liked to get the opportunity to know you, I mean the real you…”  
Harry dropped his gaze once again, quickly signing the last two contracts before handing all of them to Louis, keeping a strong hold on the files, Harry locked eyes with Louis and says “there’s nothing really interesting about me, you’ll waste a precious time trying to like me”   
He set the files free and Louis stood up, keeping them close to him, like a shield. Walking to the door Louis halted his steps and slightly rotated his body, wanting to be able to look at Harry in the eyes   
“I found you interesting, that night at the bar, I thought you were funny and interesting… just so you know” he left for good after that not wanting to see the effect his words would have or not on Harry.

Liam came in as soon as Louis went out, and it’s obvious by the look he’s giving Harry, that he walked past the young men before entering, Liam stares at Harry and Harry stares back   
“what was he doing here?”   
“waiting for me to sign some documents”   
“ he could have come to me”   
“it was new clients”   
“how convenient” Liam sat comfortably in one of the seat in Harry’s office.

“He looked sad”   
“he looked pretty confident when he left my office” Harry didn’t show what exactly the knowledge of Louis’ sadness did to him, Liam saw it nonetheless “oh please Harry I know you, he was everything you could talk about for three weeks after your night, and a bit more after that, and now you’re telling me, the fact he’s here, near you and reachable, isn’t important?” Liam exclaims not understanding his friend for the first time in a long time.  
“It’s not that easy Liam, you know it”  
“screw it man, screw them, it’s high time you get the happiness you deserve, he’s genuine and he admires you”  
“He admires Styles electronics”  
“And you’re the brain behind all of that and he knows it” after a bit of silence Harry said  
“I would love that, man but those are the rules, and even I can’t go against that”  
“If you really wanted to follow those messed up family rules, Zayn and you would be bonded already, that’s what both your families want you to do”  
“Told you, Zayn is like a little brother to me, and we already agreed on saying you’ll be more suitable for Zayn” Liam laughed a little at that “you should maybe tell him that, bet he’s already planning your wedding” he let out a self deprecating sigh after “and for instance Zayn need to realise I exist before anything could happen.”   
Up and on the brink of leaving, Liam remembers the paper in his hand and puts it on Harry’s desk before turning around and heading for the door, “go get your boy before I decide to take care of him”   
“you know Zayn would probably give you the time of the day if you weren’t such a chaser” Liam didn’t answer and closed the door. 

Harry was once again alone with his thoughts, looking at the family pictures on his desk harry can’t help but wonder how Louis would look like surrounded by the Styles in a frame, and if the Styles doesn’t want Louis on their picture, Harry’s sure the Tomlinson won’t mind his presence on theirs. Liam was right, Harry was entitled to some happiness, and happiness begins now. Closing all his drawers, and preparing for leaving Harry decides it couldn’t kill to let Louis know the real him a bit.


	3. A Chance on Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos guys you're the best
> 
> Some obscure references 
> 
> Zayn's a bitch, sorry Zayn
> 
> Love y'all  
Enjoy your reading Xx

Work was heavy, so heavy that Harry didn’t even see the outside of his office for all of Tuesday, it’s only when he was home that he remembered he was supposed to talk to Louis. Promising himself he would do just that first thing in the morning, he went to bed early to get a good night sleep.

Wednesday found Harry happy and determined, arriving at the building a little early he went in his office to settle his things. He waited, while responding to emails, till he deems it was late enough for Louis to be there. Taking the file he intents to discuss with Kat, Harry made his way to her office. Acknowledging Louis’ absence, he couldn’t help but ask right away “where is Louis?”  
“Hello to you too Harry”  
“Hello, where is he?” Harry walked to the desk and set his file on it before turning his gaze to the empty Louis spot.  
“It’s Wednesday, he’s at school, as specified in his internship contract… why? you so desperately wants to see him?”  
“Don’t be ridiculous, I was just wondering why a man I’m supposed to be paying wasn’t there doing his job”  
“Don’t try with me Harry, I know you... He interests you”  
“That’s not what I came to talk about”  
“But we’ll have to talk about it eventually”  
“What can you tell me about the Richardson trial?”  
Kat sighs and says “It looks good from our point of view, Richardson case is lacking in the evidence area so we’re in the clear for now”  
“Do you know who could have done that?”  
“No neither do I know how he did”  
Harry stayed silent for a while before taking the file back and leaving  
“Harry… He seems to think you’re worth it, don’t prove him wrong” Harry didn’t say anything and carry on his way. 

Comfortably sit at his desk Harry made a quick decision, if Louis wasn’t there today he would go find him wherever he was. First he need to know Louis schedule so he called an old friend of his who happen to be a professor at London U.  
“Stamford”  
“David, hello it’s been a while”  
“No kidding, Harry Styles got the time to call little old me”  
“Don’t be like that, you know how it is”  
“Yeah sure, what do you need busy man?”  
“It would be great if you could tell me the schedule of one of your student”  
“Oh well that’s kind of an unusual demand” Harry actually rolled his eyes at that “what do you need to know exactly?”  
“Just where he’s supposed to be today that’s all”  
David sighs and asks “what’s his name?”  
“Louis Tomlinson”  
“Just give me a moment” 

After a few minutes and some clicking noise on the other side, David spoke again “He supposed to be in class right now, Family Law, class wrap up at noon, and he’s free till half past two, after that…” “Thank you David, that was kind of you, got to go” Harry hanged up his phone and called James in his office.  
“Yes Sir,?”  
“I’m eating outside for lunch, won’t be here before half past two, cancel everything that falls in this time slot”  
“Yes of course, but…” “What?”  
“It’s just you had that phone call with the Prime Minister at 1”  
“Call his secretary and find another day”

James saw himself out to go do just that, wondering what the hell was happening to his boss. Harry rered an umptieth time the Richardson file making sure nothing could accused Styles Industries of the fire in Richardson’s warehouse. Looking at the time on his watch, there were just two hours left before he could go ask Louis to get lunch with him.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Louis was walking through the campus, glad that the class been wrapped up an hour earlier. Louis successfully squeezed in a meeting with his referring teacher, Mr. Stamford, they discussed the plan he would follow for his internship report. Mr Stamford asked if he was feeling comfortable in his new environment with what looked like worry in his eyes, Louis just smiled and say he was delighted to go to work so it was ok.  
Louis was casually strolling to the side of the road, ready to go get something to eat, when he heard his name being called “Louis” turning around, Louis is faced with the sight of Harry waiting outside his Audi R8 looking at him with a little smile on his face. Louis got closer “Harry? What are you doing here?”  
“Came to see you, was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me?”  
“euh what? why…? why would we?”  
“Because we want to I don’t know… listen Louis I know what it looks like from your side, it feels like I don’t know what I want, but I do, believe me I do... And I want you.”  
“Are you trying to play with me, I made a great effort to forget completely about you, which you explicitly asked from me, I do my very best to not think about you even if I know it would be nearly impossible with us working literally a floor appart. And now you’re deciding you suddenly want me.”  
Louis knew it wasn’t that easy for Harry, he knew, at least partly, what all of this was really about but he wanted Harry to tell him himself, to respect him enough to tell him how unsuitable for a relationship he was.  
“Louis, just get lunch with me, just this once, we can talk more about that” Harry said while moving from the passengers side and opening the door for Louis. The student got in and fasten his belt without another word. Harry closed the door and rounded the car to the driver seat and got in himself before starting the car and entering the traffic. “Where do you wanna eat?”  
“Can we get drive through?” Harry snorted at that  
“Yeah sure, Mcdonalds?”  
“Burger King” 

Harry drove to the nearest Burger King and ordered drinks and sandwiches for the both of them. Food safely in the car Harry drove to a park not far away from there and they decide to seat down under a nearby tree.  
“Look at you, all Armani suits and italian shoes sitting on the ground and eating fast food”  
“I need to diversify my diet”  
“I’m not sure it’s the good way to go about that”  
“It can’t kill to try” they both shared a laugh before diving into their food, appreciating the silence only partially disturbed by the little kids playing around. Finishing their food they set the paper bags aside. Harry leaned on the tree trunk and Louis took this opportunity to lie his head on Harry’s thighs, half expecting Harry to push him off but he didn’t.  
“Tell me more about your family”  
“The Tomlinsons are a wild bunch to say the least, as you know I have 6 siblings and…”  
“You already told me about that, tell me about your father, you didn’t talked about him the first time we met”  
“There’s not much to say about him, He left my mother when I was two and I never saw him ever since.”  
“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t want to upset you”  
“No it’s okay, you couldn’t have known, you tell me about your family… other than your sister”  
“They’re rich, entitled and completely blind at the evolution of the society”  
“Are you sure you’re talking about your parents?”  
“Unfortunately, yes. Don’t get me wrong I love them both deeply, we’re just not that close”

Harry moves underneath him so Louis sit upright to look at him “You need to go back to school and me to work” glancing at his watch Louis cursed before scrambling to pile his belongings, “no need to run I’ll give you a ride back, the least I can do”.  
Ready to go they walk to Harry’s car and got in. the ride back to the college was silent, only partially disturbed by the soft rock music coming from the speakers.  
Slowing in front of the gates, Harry turns around slightly to look at Louis, he was watching the student pass by the car. Louis lift his bag from the floor and opened the door, “Thank you for the lunch, and the ride, I appreciate it”  
“Was my pleasure Louis, see you tomorrow”  
“See you… you never told me how you knew I was free?”  
“I know people” Louis closed the door after that, a little smile on his face. Of course Harry knows people, the prick must know the entire city.  
Louis walked to his one and only class this afternoon smiling at the thought of Harry and him under that tree, and wondered how it would feel to have that regularly.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Thursday afternoon was slow, the only thing remotely exciting was the one hour phone call between Kat and a client named Richardson. The guy apparently blame Styles Industries for the fire that cost him his warehouse and thousands pound of merchandise. Kat was adamant every Styles Industries product were safe and verified on a schedule, and without any proof whatsoever she advise him to drop the charges he was planning to press on the company. Louis was in awe at how she dealt with the whole ordeal. When she hanged up she took upon herself to explain to Louis how he should handle a phone call with a client. Louis was dutifully taking notes.

“How was class yesterday?”  
“It was good,” Louis memory flashed with images of his lunch break with Harry and he smile at the reminder, Kat locked gaze with him and stared suspiciously “what happened yesterday?”  
If asked, Louis will totally denied having answered but he says “Harry and I had lunch together”  
“Lunch?”  
“yeah, he came by the school yesterday and took me out for lunch”  
“oh, ok… just… be careful don’t forget what I told you”. Louis think back to Harry’s rich and entitled parents and he’s mood fell instantaneously.  
“If you’re finished with the typing you can leave early, you need to be well rest for what’s coming tomorrow”  
“Thanks” Louis quickly packs his bag with his laptop and notebook, making sure he has his keys on him, he bids Kat goodbye and leaves the room.

The next morning, Louis was anxious not gonna lie, he didn’t know what to expect from those meetings. Arriving in his office, he finds Kat already buzzing around the entire room, stacking files up on each other.  
“You’re there, perfect, let your bag here and take those with you” Louis unpacks his bag and decides to forego his computer in favor of his notebook, swinging on himself he adds it to the pile of files and seizes them all. Then he follows Kat outside. “Every Friday meetings are held in Harry’s meeting Room on the top floor.” they walked to the elevator, crossing Liam’s office on the way, the man was just about to get out heading to the meeting himself. “Hello, ladies”  
“Liam”  
“Mr Payne… I’m an omega not a girl”  
“Feisty! I like that”  
Zayn choose this moment to arrive and wait alongside them for the elevator “Do you now?”. He was supposed to represent Mr Abbott at the meeting, seeing he was stuck with dealing with really angry workers. “Never understood your attraction to cheap and easy”  
“Excuse me, who do you think you’re talking about”  
“You, obviously who else”  
“Fuck off, frigid bitch” Louis had enough, the verbal contest took a break at the opening of the door and they all went in. Not without Liam and Kat rolling their eyes at each other.  
Louis wanted to say something more but Liam interrupted him. “Girls, Harry is in a right mood today so I’ll advise you to keep the bitching to yourself”  
“You tell him that” Louis said before tilting his face to Zayn, “be careful babe jealousy’s not good for the skin, you’ll get wrinkles” Kat actually smiled at that, this Louis Tomlinson was a really promising specimen.

The door opened on Harry on the phone in the meeting room, no suit jacket and sleeves rolled up, Liam and Kat went to the door while Zayn and Louis simultaneously let out a dreamy sigh at the perfect vision, before staring heinously at each other and joining the rest of the group. Taking the available seat, Louis sat next to Kat who was next to Harry. Harry was, of course, at the head of the table, dominance sweating from his every pores. Liam was in front of Kat and James in front of Louis, Zayn was next to James.  
“Hello everybody” Harry said still typing away on his computer, Liam answered with a slight nod, James didn’t even bothered. Zayn sported his award winning smile, not that Harry saw it. “Hello Harry” That was Kat  
“Hello Mr Styles” That was Louis.  
“How are you Louis” Harry asked finishing his email, “I’m great.. actually hmm and you?”  
Harry only respond with a smile Louis’ way and closed his laptop.  
“Where’s Jeremy?” he turns to Zayn waiting for an answer an eyebrow raised.  
“He said not to wait for him, that’s why I’m here in fact”  
“yeah I got that thank you, but why?”  
“He’s stuck dealing with the labor union, he’s been negotiating with them for a week but they are adamant about their raise of salary.”  
“On which basis exactly do they think the relie to make such demands?” Harry was pissed off, if one of his production site close for the strike, it’ll be a hell of a nightmare to deliver the new clients.  
Zayn was actually cautious about his wording for once, “They said that with the amount of work they produce, they should be paid more, they think we, as in, the company doesn’t value their work enough…”  
“There’s something you’re not telling me”  
“They also ask for better parting of the benefits, in the forms of bonuses for example, estimating that being the labor force of the company, they hold a key place in it”  
Harry was silent for a long time, appearing calm and collected but boiling inside, his eyes never left Zayn’s and for once Zayn wish he was looking elsewhere.  
“Can I fire them all Kat?”  
Taking the chance to test her assistant once more, Kat smiled at Harry and turned to Louis, “Can he Louis?” The boy was ready for that and thanks God he didn’t stutter when he locked eyes with Harry and says “Technically you can, but I would advise not to do so”  
“Why’s that”  
Louis smiled a bit and launched himself in his explications, “first, the climate surrounding the dismissals, it’s a worker’s right to strike whenever their syndicate deems the situation strikable. Firing them when they’re at the brink of said strike will be seen as abusive by any good judge. Add to that the company’s propensity to make headlines, and we could quickly end up in an ugly media mess.” Louis takes a breath and glances at Kat, she seems pleased. Harry is actually smiling when he looks back at him. “What do you suggest then?” Louis can believe he’s supposed to give his opinion, “Meet with them in person, go see them on their territory, they need to feel like they’ve been heard, and most importantly, heard by you”  
“wonderful…. any other urgent matter I should know about?”  
“Hmm actually yes,” Kat took one of the heavy files Louis carried there and gives it to Harry “Richardson is suing us after all”  
“Oh Jesus,” Harry hides his face in his left hand, looking at Kat he says “send someone to analyse everything in the warehouse again, if he can’t find the cause of his loss we’ll find it for him, prepare to plead in court. Draft an answer to the call to appear with a restitution clause for us, the bastard gonna payback every penny he made me lose with his bullshit.”  
“And if he was right?” everybody stared at Liam as if he was crazy “You really think our machinery is responsible for this” Zayn asked disbelievingly  
“No but we don’t know, what I’m saying is if we lose this lawsuit, it will hurt deep, in not only our finances but also our reputation, we need to tread carefully with this situation before jumping into action.”  
Harry took two seconds to think “Kat schedule a meeting with fucking Richardson and his lawyers on Monday first thing in the morning, we need to see everything he has”  
Louis scribbles it down to remember as he realise that really, he would be the one doing the scheduling being the assistant and all.  
“There will be no meeting this afternoon,” he glances at Louis “I have some workers to talk to, on that note, class dismissed kids” he stood up, quickly followed by the others. Everybody went his merry way, before leaving the floor they all distinctly heard Harry ordering his assistant to call up Jeremy in his office. It definitely won’t be a pleasant conversation.

Arriving at their floor, Louis went to the loo followed closely by Zayn. The door closed Louis turned around to see Zayn with a murdering look “First of all, Jeremy and I could have deal with the workers situation without getting Harry involved, but of course you had to show off with your poor law knowledge”  
“Apparently not, seeing they were, and still are for that matter, at the brink of strike.”  
“We would have prevented it”  
“Of course, I’m sure, now are you quite finished?”  
“No I’m not, I don’t know what you think you are doing with Harry but you need to stay in your own fucking lane. You’re not evolving in the same league as us ok, you’re a nobody so sod off”  
That being said Zayn went out as fastly as he went in and Louis was finally able to use the loo, wiping down the single tear that manage to escape his eyes. He’s not crying because of Zayn though, he’s crying because, even though Zayn is clearly a bit obsessed, it’s still kinda true. Harry and him doesn’t even rotate around the same sun, that’s how far they are and Louis better remember that from now on. 

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Harry apparently decides to not let Louis forget about him either because right after the lunch break, Harry comes with fanfare in the office, “Kat, I’m stealing your assistant” and promptly turns around and leaves as he came.  
“Hum, should I follow him?”  
“I’m not sure he’ll wait for you so you better hurry up” at the same time Harry came back saying “I was talking about you young men”  
“Where are you going with him anyway?”  
“On training, he has to see first hand the consequences of his ideas, don’t you agree?”  
“Sure”  
Louis was a bit stunned to be honest, he wasn’t really prepared for that. He tidies up his office and pulls on his blazer, “Ok I’m ready to go”  
“Perfect… Oh and Kat send him an exemplary of our workers contracts please”.

On the way down Louis asks “So why do you want me there?” Louis doesn’t mean to pry or get his hopes up but he still asks.  
“The syndicate representative is an alpha” Louis widen his eyes at Harry “What?” Louis was hurt to say the least “I’m not…”  
“A prostitute I know, you already said that. I just hope the presence of an omega during the negotiation will inspire civility among the group.”  
“Why not Zayn then? he’s pretty”  
“Zayn act too high and mighty to inspire anything else than irritation in this particular situation”

Arriving in the lobby, Harry leads him with a hand on his lower back completely oblivious to the slight staring they subjected to by the people present. Apparently Harry’s driver was warned because the car was already waiting in front. “Is your driver always ready to go”  
“It’s basically his job Louis”  
“Did he ate lunch at least?”  
“Of course he ate lunch I’m not a tortionary”  
“Just to be sure”  
Harry opened the car door for Louis et get into the car right after him. “Hello Paul, may I introduce you Louis…”  
“Hello Paul”  
“...He’s a new intern here”  
Paul raises a knowing eyebrow at Harry through the rearview mirror before greeting Louis with a nod.  
“Where are we going today Harry”  
“Leyton, I need to talk to our workers before they decide to strike on our busiest time of the year.”

They drive was surprisingly smooth for a Friday afternoon, it still took an hour and a half to get to their destination. Paul parked the car on the spot reserved for Harry and moved to open the door. Harry got out and helped Louis out.  
Styles Incorporation Industrial site was big to say the least. There are three separate warehouses, one for each branch of the company, and another one opposite them, surely to park the trucks not on duty.  
Louis couldn’t help but let out an awed noise. The really big steel letters forming Harry’s name on the warehouses was reflecting the sun to them.  
“Whoever designed that really wanted to compensate for something” Louis joked being even bolder and winking at Harry through his lashes. Harry let out a tiny smile “You would know”.  
They walked to the door of Styles Elec knowing the Quartermaster, Tony Robert, will be there.  
Inside the warehouse Harry took the stair to the platform where the offices where. The QM office’s door was open so Harry stood there watching Tony and one of the union representant with their back to them, deeply in conversation. Louis was silent at his side.  
“I’m just saying, a strike isn’t necessarily the solution, maybe we can all come to an arrangement”  
“What arrangement do you have then, I’m telling you those bureaucrats only listen to us when we make them lose money”  
Louis actually bites his tongue at that to avoid taking Harry’s defense against those attacks. “Look it’s been more than a week and still no progress on their part.” That’s when Harry decides to make himself none, clearing his throat, he stands to his fullest height when they turn around.  
“Mr Styles, I didn’t know you were supposed to visit, u-usually your assistant call”  
“It was a last minutes decision”  
“Do you want a coffee, a tea maybe?” Harry glanced at the old coffee maker “No thanks”  
looking at the other man in the room he said “I want to talk to your fellow representants”  
“There is only another one, I’ll call him right away”  
“I’ll wait in your meeting room” He swiftly turns on his heels and heads down the platform to said room, Louis following closely behind. “Those rich blokes, always knows how to surround themselves with the prettiest little twinks.”  
This comment didn’t went unheard by Louis, nor did it by Harry if the short low growl was anything to go by. Louis never felt so objectified and he weirdly understand why Harry brought him here, if the alpha they were supposed to meet is slightly like those two idiots, Louis presence will give an advantage to Harry. 

They were alone for a couple of minutes after that, so Louis cheekily ask “So am I supposed to asphyxiate them with my pheromones or what?”  
“What?! no please don’t, your only presence should be enough.”

Mr Robert chooses this time to enter the room, followed by two man “So Mr Styles you already met Mr Grayson” pointing to the man that was with him earlier, “and this is our union representative Mr Gleeny”  
The man was obviously the infamous alpha, he was tall, well built and had mesmerizing blue eyes which took Louis breath away when their eyes met. No really the guy was handsome, and rugged, and everything a man in hard labor looks like. A total opposite to Harry clean and polished beauty.  
Louis drops his gaze before glancing at Harry, he was slightly frowning.  
“Hello Mr Styles? I didn’t expect you to come down here today” Harry stood up to take the extended hand, a firm handshake was exchange. Louis rolled his eyes at the unnecessary display of alphaness.  
“I’ve been told, please take a seat”, they both sat on their chair, Gleeny being the closest to Harry, and right in front of Louis. “This is Louis, my assistant”  
“Nice to meet you” Louis said with an overly sweet tone that could appeal the straightest of alphas, “Pleasure all mine darling” the smirk on his face was telling everything his words wasn’t.  
“Control yourself Mr Gleeny, we’re in a professional meeting” the calm warning in Harry’s thick voice was clearly understandable.  
The man cleared his throat awkwardly before diving into a long explication of how the workers felt like they weren’t considered enough. Apparently despite the fact that the benefits of the company are ever growing, their salaries don’t evolve at all. “Mr Styles, we are the heart of the company so we are entitled to parts of its benefit too”  
After a silence Harry said “Nothing can force Styles Inc to give you parts of his benefit, you know”, Gleeny smiled “Let’s face it Mr Styles in this time of the year you can’t afford a strike and let me tell you, we are going to strike.”  
“Louis please can you sort through the contracts”  
Louis clicked on his already turn on laptop, to revive it. the contract was on screen, already scrolled to the right paragraph, the one Kat underlined for him bless her, he cleared his throats and start reading “The employee must always be higher than the minima of production per day decided by the company, any unjustifiable drop in productivity under the previously mentioned minima will lead to an immediate dismissal.” Louis stuttered a bit a that, finding the whole thing a bit harsh. “The only acceptable justification will be from an official medical source”  
“This is a copy of the exact same contract you signed, all of you”  
Understanding where Harry was going, Gleeny tried another approach “If you fire us because we are striking we’re taking you to court, that’s abusive”  
Louis and Harry shared a glance and the shadow of a smile  
“Styles Industries AND Electronics both registers drop in their general productivity of 2.5%,” Harry stopped to watch the effect of this on Gleeny “so yeah, I will fire you, and nobody could or even would do something about it. Strike all you want it won’t change anything”  
Harry stood up, closed dramatically his suit jacket while Louis was putting his things away. “Have a nice rest of your day gentlemen”  
Putting a possessive hand on the low of Louis back, he guided him through the warehouse to the door and to the car after.

During the ride back, Louis couldn’t help but think back about the workers contract, it was harsh to say the least, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sad at that  
“What is the matter?” Harry must have smells the change in the air  
“No-nothing it’s just…*sigh* nothing”  
Harry reached above his head to trigger the partition and isolate them. He reached for Louis’ hand pulled him at his side, They were touching from head to knees Louis was under Harry’s arm and he basked a bit in the delicious alpha scent before remembering who exactly he’s with.  
“Tell me, what’s bothering you… is it because of the contract?” Of course Harry will understand right away, he’s smart like that.  
“I feel like… don’t take it the wrong way but I feel like it’s a bit harsh and stressful for them to be always watching, to make sure they’re still in the clear…”  
Harry smiled at that, touched at the display of empathy so typically omega “Do you know the workers minima per day?” Louis shook his head “It’s twenty pieces a day they receive a warning when they get under fifty, the average rate of the employees is around 110 pieces” Louis ooh’d at that “You see, if they’re under twenty it’s not because they’re sick or tired, it’s because they’re simply not working so we have to dismiss them” Harry takes Louis face with the hand not on his back and looks deep in his eyes “Louis, I’m not a monster, I actually have a lot of respect for my workers, but sometime you have to remind them who the boss is.”  
“No I know you’re not but…”  
“You feel like I’m not really nice” Louis just stared at him at that, unable to respond, he knew he wouldn’t have denied. “Have dinner with me tonight”  
“What? Harry are you kidding?”  
“No, I’m dead serious, come with me tonight please”  
Louis didn’t respond right away because they were in front of the building, he gathered his things and was about to leave when he said “Pick me up at 8 then”  
Louis went out of the car, and Harry drives off to pop a visit at the 10 downing street.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

“NIALL!! I don’t know what to do, I don’t even know where we’re going” Louis was freaking out, ok. he was going to die if he doesn’t find the proper outfit. See, he got a good feeling about this date, because it is a date, Harry didn’t said so but nobody could convince Louis otherwise.  
“Just wear something formal Louis it’s ok, it’s just a dinner”  
“You don’t get it Niall, it’s not just a dinner, it’s a date” Louis turned exasperated eyes toward his friend currently sprawled on his bed, how can he not understand this?  
“How can you not understand this?  
“Did he told you it was a date Louis.” Niall ask cautious not to seems patronizing  
“Not in those terms but Niall, I was practically sitting on him when he ask, I mean of course it’s a date.”  
Niall dropped the subject and went to help his friend find the perfect outfit.

Ten minutes later Louis was dressed in a tight black skinny jeans, a second skin really, he paired that with a black fitted shirt and a bold red blazer. He rolls up his jeans at his ankle and slips his feet in black chelsea boots.  
“How do I look?” doing a 360 for Niall appreciation  
“Dashing darling” Niall said  
“Thanks Edna” 

Louis was feeling good, really he felt like gold. He couldn’t wait for Harry to see him. He was currently sit in the living room when he realise he actually never gave his address to Harry. He voiced that to Niall clearly starting to panic.  
“He’s your boss Louis, I’m sure he’ll be able to get your address or number from HR or something”  
“That’s the thing, Zayn work for HR and that freaking bastard is like obsessed with Harry, I’m sure he will give him a wrong number or something”  
“I don’t know Lou, I mean Harry could get mad at him and all, I don’t think he would risk it”  
“You don’t know him man he’s like batshit crazy, he cornered me in the bathroom to threaten me, he don’t even know what happened between Harry and me. If he suspect something I fear he might actually come here and get me in my sleep or something.”  
“Aren’t you a drama queen”  
“If you find my lifeless body one day you know who did it”  
“Yeah sure”

A knock can be heard at the door, sharing a frown both boys went to investigate, Niall looks through the bullseye to see flowers  
“LOOOUUUU IT’S YOUR DATE!”  
“Stop screaming you tits we have neighbors” Louis pushed a laughing Niall on the side before opening the door. The first thing he sees is the biggest flower bouquets someone ever gave him, Harry lowers the flowers to look at Louis  
“Hey, hum I didn’t knew which one was your favorite so I just took a bunch of everything”  
Louis couldn’t be more whipped, his eyes was literally shining, Niall was gagging at the mushiness. “Tiger Lilies are my favorites”  
“I’ll know now” Harry hands the flowers to Louis, who happily puts them in a vase on the kitchen. Turning around Louis catch Harry’s eyes and they definitely were on his ass, he looked up and smiled a bit.  
“Ready to go?”  
“And when do you plan to bring him back to me?” Louis rolled his eyes at Niall non-sense, Harry widened his.  
“Oh god Niall, not a kid thank you”  
“Whatever I still don’t trust him”  
“Niall!” Louis knew Niall didn’t approve but still, he whispered “please you promised”  
“If it can reassure you I won’t do anything Louis’ not comfortable with”  
“wow what a gentleman, anyway have a nice date” Niall turns away and goes to his bedroom. Louis felt like shit, “I’m really sor-..”  
“Don’t, no need to apologize I kinda deserved that. Shall we go?”  
“Yes please” Louis closed the door behind him and Harry took his hand, Louis smiled and lace their fingers together.  
In the car they both sat really close, Paul was still driving. Louis realise that Harry’s suits was all black, black shirt, black shoes and believe it or not bright red suits pockets. Louis taught they looked like a matching couple on their way to a red carpet. The idea made him smile.  
“What are you smiling at?”  
“We’re matching, I think it’s cute, not you?”  
“I think you’re cute.” Louis couldn’t help but lean in a bit, Harry closed the gap and just like that they were kissing. Louis couldn’t believe he missed that so much, Harry’s mouth was so smooth and tasted so sweet, his scent was everywhere and Louis was melting.  
Harry moves away and touches his forehead to Louis, taking a breath with a tiny smile “You smell so good baby” Louis was please to say the list.

Paul drove them in front of the Rossos and Louis took a deep breath at the apparent luxury of the place. Harry guided him with his hands on his lower back, they reached the reception and the girl behind it smiled big, those were the kind of rich couple the like to have in their restaurant.  
“Reservation for Styles”  
“Yes of course, right this way sir”  
She walked them to a table for two near the corner of the room, and set the table with the menu, “I hope this table is at your convenience, your waiter will be with you shortly”.  
Harry pulls out Louis chair for him before sitting himself on the other side of the table. Louis feels like royalty, everything was so beautiful and epurate. Harry was also admiring, admiring the pureness and beauty of Louis eyes, they were so clear and full of his inner light. “You’re beautiful tonight” Louis dropped his gaze at that, bending his head to hide his flushed cheeks. “Thank you”.  
The waiter comes and goes with their order, bringing wine and appetizers to the table. They talked a bit about school and Niall. Harry wanted to know the extent of their relationship.  
“You’re jealous”  
“No I’m not, just want to know how much he’s in love with you that’s all”  
“Oh god Harry he’s not”  
“You sure about that? I mean he wasn’t that happy to see me”  
“He just doesn’t like to see me…” Louis stopped himself before admitting to the crying “to see me vulnerable, I mean he thinks I am, because of the Alpha/Omega thing”  
“That’s a bit sexist don’t you think?”  
“Not when he’s right” Louis just admitted how vulnerable he felt with Harry, they were no going back from there. Harry didn’t say anything, now that he knew his effect on Louis on a deeper level he could play, Louis gave him all the card to do so. Louis just hoped Harry wouldn’t tire of playing with him soon.  
The waiter bring the main course and they started digging right away. Louis used this time to change the subject.  
“So your parents…”  
“What do you want to know?”  
“Kat told me they were nobles or something, I mean all of you are I guess but yeah you get me.”  
“Kat talks too much for her own good.”  
“She just want to spare me the heartbreak I guess”  
Harry frowned a bit clearly hurt by the statement, “I won’t break you heart you know” Louis looks up at that and everything came crashing down all at once “Oh yeah you won’t?”  
“I won’t”  
“So please explain to me what is all of this, if not the perfect way to break my heart. If you don’t want to hurt me then why leading me on like this” Harry tries to interrupt but Louis wasn’t finished “Listen Harry I know how unsuitable I am for you too much people told me in too many words how far apart we actually were, so please tell me what this is if not breaking my heart”  
“You should stop believing everything people told you, you know…”  
“You didn’t answer my question”  
“Louis, this is me trying, with no apparent success, to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you two months ago. But most importantly it’s me telling you that I don’t care, what people might think, what my father might think or how unsuitable you’re supposed to be. Believe it or not but I want you Louis, like I’ve never wanted anyone, give me a chance to be with you, to love you because you’re the most stunning person I’ve ever been in the vicinity of, inside and out.”  
Harry took a deep breath after his speech waiting for Louis’ answer “Please Louis say something”  
“What’s the deal with Zayn?”  
“What? why are we talking about Zayn?”  
“Did something ever happen between you two”  
“No! Never!” Harry sighs and pinches his nose bridge “He’s the son of a family friend, really our parents have been friends during childhood, I went to school with his older sister and I could go on and on about how much Zayn and I are linked but that’s not the point.”  
“And the thing you aren’t telling me?”  
Harry puts his hands on his face and looks at Louis through his fingers, sighing he uncovered himself “They actually want us to bond at some point”  
“Oh god, are you kidding me”  
“But I won’t though”  
“It doesn’t matter, they want you to, I can’t compete with that”  
“I’m not asking you to compete with anything, you don’t need to compete with anyone Louis”  
That actually appease Louis a bit, but he was not stupid he could already visualise the amount of fighting they’ll have to do, how they’ll judge him without even knowing him. But also, he saw how happy he could be with Harry.  
“Ok”  
“Ok?”  
“I’ll give you the chance you’re asking for”  
“But?”  
“But you need to understand that the situation is really overwhelming on my side and I’ll need you to support me when they undoubtedly drag me down in the mud or somewhere equally nasty.”  
Harry took his left hand on the table and bring to his mouth to kiss his fingers “They won’t baby, I won’t let them. You’re my omega”  
Louis blushed before saying “take me back to your place Alpha”  
“I promise Niall though” Harry smiled playfully, Louis rolled his eyes “He’ll get over it”


	4. Just A Touch of Your Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A whole lot of problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooooorryyyy for the long wait guys, 
> 
> Here a long ass chapter to apologize,
> 
> Zayn's still a bitch 
> 
> Love y'all  
Enjoy your reading Xx

Louis ended up spending the whole Weekend at Harry’s. He was on cloud 9 honestly. They spent Saturday in bed talking, entangled in the soft sheets. Really they were happy, so it’s a bit of a bummer that they were arguing in the kitchen comes Sunday late afternoon.  
“I don’t get why you need to leave?”  
“Because It’s Sunday night and we have work tomorrow Harry”  
“More reason for you to stay, we could drive directly to the office from here”  
“That’s exactly why I need to leave babe, we can’t be seen coming together, I mean what do you think people will say?”  
“Why do you always care about what people say?”  
“It’s not that I care per se, but we’re in a professional environment I don’t want people to think I’m here just because I know how to bend over for the right person or something.”  
Harry understand that really, he knows how Louis values his studies and the valorisation of his brain, but dammit he can be stupid sometime.  
He got closer to Louis and took him in his arms “Baby you lend one of the hardest internship a second year law student could hope for, there was so much people waiting for that spot and if Zayn said you were the one to stick out then you clearly deserve this.”  
“But do they know that”  
“Of course they do, we are a huge company who need careful management, we wouldn’t employ someone just because he’s dashingly pretty, and believe me everyone knows that”  
He kissed his forehead, Louis was reassured but still anxious, “I don’t even have clothes for tomorrow I can’t really go working with only your shirt on”  
“We’ll go to yours before heading to work tomorrow you’ll have time for a shower and to change”  
“You seem to have everything all planned”  
“Always prepared”  
“I hope you are because we have that Richardson meeting at 8 with Liam, Kat and the Technical Service.”

They ended up being ten minutes late to the meeting, because of traffic of all things. Harry kisses Louis one last time in the elevators before leading him to his office where the meeting was held. It was Kat’s idea apparently she thinks it could give Richardson a sense of importance to be received in the big boss office, it can get him more accommodant and turn it to an advantage for them. She wasn’t wrong.

When Harry and Louis came in, James was serving tea to Richardson and his lawyers. “Sorry for the delay, traffic was a bitch” He went to shake hands with Richardson and his team, all men, one Alpha. Louis said a weak Hello to the general audience before sitting next to Kat. They were all on the sitting area in Harry’s office, sat on assorted black leather armchairs and couches. Louis looked around the sitting area, everyone looked comfortable though a little stressed maybe. The tech guys wasn’t there because of a shut down on the first floor.  
“So now that everyone is there we can start” the alpha lawyer naturally takes the lead “Mr Richardson here intent to pursue legal action against your company for negligence upon the engine controls”  
“Excuse me” Harry straightened himself on his armchair “Every Styles Industries products are thoroughly verified before the delivery and once again after the final setup”  
“And nothing even remotely consequent linked directly the fire to one of the installed machines” Kat adds  
“So how do you explain that” the slightly annoying alpha said, showing them picture of the warehouse after the fire. everything was clearly burned, and black traces could be find right under what was left of the Styles equipements. But something was weird, the equipements shouldn’t have burned like that, Louis was sure, he glanced at Harry trying to catch his eyes but he was deep in thought in front of the pictures. He tries with a whisper “Harry...H” he looked at him frowning, raising an eyebrow in question “there’s something wrong with this, these shouldn’t have melted like that”  
“Care to share with the audience pretty boy”  
Louis instinctively reacts to stop Harry with a hand on his tights, but Harry didn’t even move he was calm the only thing betraying his current state was the murderous look he was sending the other alpha’s way “Talk to him like that again and I’ll make sure you won’t live long enough to see the rest of the week” He was dead serious,  
The other alpha wanted to say something but Liam cut him before he could “I would advise to choose your next words carefully because I won’t stop him and nobody else here can”  
the alpha swallowed his next words and after a staring contest lost by the alpha, Harry turned to Louis to let him express his thought.  
“Well as I was saying, it can be the machines that caused the fire because you can see here” pointing one of the picture “that the engine burned and melted on one side only. The thing is Styles engines are all build using a mix of steel and iron melted and assembled to form the exterior protection. If the fire actually started within the machine it would have melted everything before even thinking about touching the warehouse, add to that the fact that the intern overheating safety installation would have prevented it to burn in the first place.”

Liam was blown away the quantity of knowledge Louis managed to assimilate in so little time was awesome, a quick look at Harry confirms his own admiration in front of the display of readiness. 

“That’s why I‘m saying that the system was defective, it didn’t prevent the fire the way it should have” Richardson retaliate with vehemence.  
“Even if it was, and it wasn’t, it wouldn’t change anything about the way it should have burned the equipement” Kat took over after that “and realistically you still have nothing to link all the pieces together, a judge wouldn’t accept that”  
“We have enough pieces to set a really good compensation deal” The alpha lawyer said, the last straw for Harry really  
“And I assume, you dumbasses never entertain the possibility of arson”  
“It can’t be criminal, there’s no traces of someone breaking in”  
“I can see four broken windows on this picture alone”  
“It was during the fire”  
Harry and Kat looked at each other and Kat nodded at him, she was confident in this, the game was on.  
Harry stood from his armchair and walking to his desk he said “Do whatever you want, I don’t really fear courtrooms so I’ll be glad to see you there”  
Liam added “I hope you know we will set up our own compensation for all the precious time which should have been use on more pressant matters than that.”  
Everyone stand up and Kat led them to the door, followed by Liam who closed the door not without addressing a smirk Harry’s way.

Harry was leaning on the front of his desk watching Louis approach  
“Are you ok?”  
“Of course, I am why wouldn’t I be”  
“Well it’s just you kinda freaked out a bit there”  
“I don’t like disrespect in general, but the way he was..”  
“Looking at me?”  
“Yeah, you know, your smell has a faint trace of mine for obvious reason, he knew exactly what he was doing.”  
“He wanted you to lose control, but you didn’t” Louis smiled, a little pride shining through it  
“Thanks to you” he said taking Louis hand in his, Louis stood on his tiptoes to kiss Harry he was falling so hard for this man and it feels so good.  
The door opened so slowly they didn’t hear it “Can I have my assistant back please we have a trial to prepare”  
“Don’t you know how to knock” said Harry, exasperated, Louis blushed and hide his face in his hands, there goes his idea of being inconspicuous.  
“Couldn’t have caught you in the act if I had knocked” she looks really pleased with herself  
“I need to work anyway, See you later baby” Harry said kissing Louis’ forehead.  
Louis took his belongings and followed Kat outside, already dreading the questioning he’ll be subject to once their office door would be close.

Weirdly it’s a couple of hours later, when they were working on the trial that Kat decided to voice her opinion. “So… you and Harry… Zayn must be pissed”  
“Not if he doesn’t know about it”  
“Are you kidding me? you both arrived together you’re surely the talk of the whole building now”  
“I’m sure I’m not interesting enough for the entire building to be talking about me”  
“You, surely not, Harry on the other hand” Louis lift his eyes at her before putting his gaze on his paper, “He has never been seen with anyone, ever. And I give everyone a day before figuring you’re an omega, half of it if Zayn decides to put his nose in it”  
“This guy is really starting to piss me off”  
“He just wants what’s now yours, everything is fair in love and war.”  
“I already have to fight my way into the good graces of Harry’s entire family, I don’t need an evil bitch on top of that.”  
Kat actually laughed at that, making Louis smile a bit. “You’re too good Louis, you know what I think I like you”  
“I hope so we have 8 and a half months together still” He said smiling big this time.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Louis goes back home that evening, he was tired and wanted to sleep in his bed, Harry dropped him off before joining his parents for a family dinner.

“Honey, I’m home” Louis dumped his shoes at the door and brought his bag with his laptop in his bedroom.  
“Niall?” still no response, Louis rounded the appartement to find that he was in fact alone. “where did he go now” he dialed Niall, after an unquantifiable amount of time he ended on his voicemail. He was a bit worried, Niall always answered his phone when it’s Louis.  
He went to the kitchen to eat something. An hour later he was watching the TV and still no Niall. He was about to give up waiting when he heard the key in the door.  
When Niall came into the living room Louis was livid “Where were you? I tried calling you didn’t answer, I was worried” Niall raised an eyebrow and bypassed Louis to go in his room.  
“Really you just gonna ignore me?”  
“Where’s your Alpha Louis, I thought you omegas shouldn’t be left on your own” Louis anger fell at that.  
“What? I’m deeply independent thank you very much”  
Niall laughed and went out of his room to face Louis “really Louis? No because running to a man who treated you like a bitch the first time around, and gave you the time of the day again because you were accessible doesn’t seem too independent to me”  
“How can you say that, you.. I’m not..” Louis was hurt  
“So what are you then, because I don’t really recognize my best friend?”  
“I’m an omega, I’m a male with a fucking uterus Niall. you think it’s easy being approached by people either for my looks or for ‘how I could give them beautiful babies’ or being looked at because my ass is ‘to die for’. You think it’s easy growing up being the only ‘bitch in heat’ of the family.” Actual tears were running down Louis’ face at this point  
“Lou…”  
“No, I’m not finished, for the first time of my life a man looked at me and saw me, Harry actually puts value on my opinion, he listens to me, he admires my brain and my goals he supports me and for the first time I feel respected in a relationship” he got closer to Niall while talking “so if it means I have to be his bitch, I’ll gladly be his bitch Niall”  
He went in his own room knocking shoulders with Niall before slamming the door shut.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

This dinner couldn’t get more boring for Harry, between his mother and sister meaningless chatter and his dad deafening silence. he was about to just get his things and leave when his dad decides to speak.  
“Lord Nelson told me he saw you with an omega Friday night” shit, he knew he should have left earlier, his mother was ecstatic  
“Oh really, was it Zayn honey? He must be so happy” Harry rolled his eyes at that  
“No mother it wasn’t Zayn”  
“Oh….” He didn’t need to see her to hear his mother utter disappointment  
“It’s not really proper to go out with an other omega than the one you are courting”  
“You know I’m not actually courting Zayn, never have and never will be”  
“You have to stop this nonsense son, you’re almost 33 you need to mate soon”  
“I’ll mate, just not with Zayn”  
“But why?” his mother asks, “He’s well educated and good looking, he could make a good home for you”  
“And his family is a long line of alpha, you’ll be sure to have strong alpha heirs”  
Harry dropped his cutlery on his plate and banged his fist on the table making the wine glasses tremble. “I said no, I won’t mate with Zayn no matter how good looking he is or how many puppies he can get away with. He’s immature, entitled, overall unpleasant to be around, and quite frankly boring as all hell.” He stood up just as his phone started ringing,  
he took it without looking  
“Styles”  
He heard sobbing on the other side of the line “Harry… can you come please”  
“Lou?” He looked at the screen, confirming it was indeed Louis “What’s happening” He was already putting his suit jacket back on  
“Please, I’m sorry I know you’re with your family tonight but it’s just Niall and I had a fight and I don’t know what to do, and I hate that because…”  
“Calm down Louis I’m on my way” he hanged up and checked if he had his car keys  
“Where are you going Harry?”  
“Home mother”  
“Don’t blatantly lie to me that way”  
“I’m not, have a nice evening”

Harry arrived in front of Louis apartment building to find him already waiting outside with a duffel bag. Harry hopped out of his Range Rover before running to Louis, taking him in his arms. “Are you ok? Do I need to get rid of him?”  
Louis smiles a bit at the attempt at a joke “No don’t need to get rid of him Harry I just need to be away for awhile.” he start walking to the car with the bag with his laptop and Harry puts the duffel bag on the backseat before climbing on the driver seat.

Louis was fast asleep in Harry’s bed, all that arguing and crying exhausted him. Harry was sited beside him finishing a work on his laptop, eyeing Louis every now and then.  
the doorbell rang and Harry rolled his eyes, the only person who has the nerve (and the code) to trespass his gate was his father. He took his baseball bat anyway.  
He went to open the door not bothering to put any shirt on his sweatpant.  
“Put that down before you hurt yourself, that’s not a way to greet people Harry”  
“That’s not a time to come at people’s house either, what do you want old man”  
“You left in a hurry earlier, your mother wanted to know if you were okay, she was worried”  
“I’m fine, you could have called”  
“You wouldn’t have answered, would you?”  
“True”  
“You won’t let me get in?”  
“I’m thinking about it”  
“Don’t be smart with me” His father bypassed him and went in as if it was his own home  
“Please make yourself at home” Harry said sarcastically, he went to put back the bat and return in the living room were his father was comfortably sat.  
They stared at each other before Harry rolled his eyes and went to sit opposite him in the armchair. “Seriously dad why are you here?”  
“I’m not here to fight son, I just want to talk that’s all”  
“About?”  
“Lou?”  
“No”  
“Harry…” he sighs “Is he at least a full-bred”  
“I..” “No I’m not” Harry stood up upon hearing Louis’ voice “You don’t have to tell him nothing baby” he walked to Louis to take him in his arms.  
Desmond was observing, and he wasn’t particularly pleased, this omega was young, of that he was sure. Not a full-bred so his father his automatically an alpha, seeing as omegas could only get pregnant from alphas so his mother is a regular. He doesn’t have that superior air that every wealthy omegas carry with them. Everything in him screamed gold digger to Des.

“Why are you up?”  
“I woke up and you weren’t there, I panicked a bit” Harry chuckled and took the plaid that was lying on a sofa nearby to envelop Louis in it.  
“Go back to bed, I’ll be there in a few”  
“You won’t introduce me son”  
“Wasn’t really planning on it no” Louis lightly slaps his arm, “be nice, it’s your father” Harry rolled his eyes again, he feels like he done a lot of eye rolling tonight. He picked Louis up and made him sit on his laps, plaid and all.  
“Louis, Desmond Styles” gesturing to the man opposite him, “dad, Louis Tomlinson”  
“Nice to meet you sir”  
“Yeah” Louis blushed at the obvious dismissal and turns his head to buried it in Harry’s collarbones, the cinnamon and green apple soothing him.  
“What are you doing for a leaving?” Louis rises his head, knowing full well the question his directed to him “I’m a college student, law, second year”  
Des didn’t really look impress.“How did you met?” Louis took a breath but it’s Harry who answered,  
“That’s none of your business” Louis felt the tension between the two men, he looked at Harry and whispered “Want me to leave you two to it?”  
“Yeah I’ll come soon” Louis stood and took the plaid with him he left and went to bed.

“I don’t trust him Harry, I can see what you like in him I mean he’s pretty to look at” Harry raised an eyebrow at that “and I’m sure he can do a whole lot of thing” Both eyebrows were disappearing in his hair at this point, “but you don’t need to bond with him to have that, Zayn won’t mind you having someone on the side”  
“I’ll advise you to leave now dad” Harry was murderous, just the thought of having Louis dumped on the side like a vulgar hoe was… “That’s what you did?... To mom”  
“My omega understands the necessities of our marriage”  
“Mine won’t have to, get out now before I make you” Harry was internally livid but looked calm and collected as always.  
His dad, stood up and made his way to the door “All this kid wants it’s cash out on your money son, don’t say I didn’t warned you” Harry actually throws a nearby lamp at his father, the closing door catched it instead.

He was furious but he needed to calm down before joining Louis…  
“You know it’s not true right”  
“Should have known you would have stayed near”  
“Just don’t do that, please… Zayn may support it but I won’t”  
Harry join Louis in three big steps, he cradled his face in his hands and says “Whatever you heard tonight is complete bullshit, I would never do that to you, I would never ask that from you. You’re too precious a gem for me to throw you aside baby”  
He kissed him trying to convey how much he meant that. He lifted Louis up and brought to the room, he deposited him gently on the bed before peeling the plaid from his body leaving him in a long white t-shirt. He slides between Louis legs and kisses him again.  
“I just feel like sooner or later I’ll lose you to Zayn no matter how much I don’t want to”  
“Don’t, it won’t happen”

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

The next morning, when they entered the building Louis paid close attention to the people around and realised that everyone was watching them and whispering. They weren’t even holding hand or the likes.  
“Ignore them” Harry said when they passed through the security gates.  
“But they will talk”  
“People do little else Louis”

There were some people in the elevator with them, glancing not so discreetly at them. Fortunately they left at the 5th floor and Louis and Harry was alone. Harry took Louis hand and kissed his knuckles before the door opens at the 9th floor. Louis freed his hand and they walked out side by side. Louis went to his office and Harry to Liam’s.

“Hello Liam”  
“Hey mate, how are you”  
“Really fine” Harry took a seat in front of Liam with a small smile on his face, if Liam hadn’t seen it he wouldn’t have believed it.  
“Happiness suits you, how’s Louis?”  
“He’s great” Harry’s smile diminished a bit “My father came by last night”  
“Oh…”  
“Yeah, Louis was there”  
“Ooh… How did he react? your father I mean?”  
“As good as you can imagine” He sighs “He used his extensive vocabulary to call him a whore, advised me to make Louis my side bitch and then lowkey confess having done the same”  
“I beg your pardon”  
“Apparently my mother understands the necessities of their marriage or something”  
“That’s fucked up man”  
“Don’t I know that”  
“What did you do? How did Louis reacts?”

Before getting the opportunity to respond they are interrupted by Zayn opening the door “Hello Liam, Harry nice to see you two”  
“Hello Zayn, you needed something?”  
“Just transferring a message, my mother organised a charity gala as you both know and she insisted for me to invite you”  
Liam looked at Harry with a smile “Can we come accompanied”  
“Of course, but it’s a gala with the highest members of society Liam so choose carefully who you come with” The disdain in Zayn voice was unmissable, Harry snorted and asked  
“What’s that about anyway?”  
“Fundraising for an association or another, something about children and stuff, who cares, it’s a gala dress nice, look beautiful and spend your money where everybody can see”.  
Harry let his eyes wander over Zayn body, wondering why nobody seem to see past the good looks. He watched him a bit more before returning his gaze to Liam.  
“When is that little party?”  
“Friday night”  
“I’ll be there”  
Zayn was ecstatic, he smiles at Harry before leaving. his smile fell when he sees Louis approaching.  
“What are you doing here?”  
“Working, unlike you apparently”

The door wasn’t close so both men could be heard from inside the office  
“Wandering into the hallways doesn’t really qualified as working”  
“So does running after unreachable men” The tension was steadily growing between the two omegas and Liam really wanted to laugh out loud, this was too good  
“You clearly know what you’re talking about” Zayn smirked  
“Watch out princess, I’m coming for your throne” Louis smirked deeper  
“I really want to see you try”  
Louis didn’t say anything and just laugh before entering the office and closing the door at Zayn face. Liam actually laughed at that.  
“You need to sign these Mr.Payne, Mr Styles nice to see you again” Harry smiles at him  
“What’s that” Liam asks  
“The financial compensation in case of a win, the Richardson trial remember”  
“Oh yeah…”  
“What did Kat came up with”  
“A huge 10 and plenty of 0s after boss” Louis answered cheekily  
“Ah what am I gonna do with that much money?”  
Louis and Liam laughed before Louis takes back the papers. Before he can escape Harry pull him lightly on his lap, Louis glanced at Liam before focusing on Harry. Liam, bless him wasn’t paying attention.  
“What are you doing this Friday?” Liam couldn’t help but lift his head and raise an eyebrow at Harry  
“Nothing… Yet, why?”  
“Fancy a ball with me”  
“Hum Harry, you’re sure about that?”  
“A ball?” Louis throw a questioning look at Liam “Why are you saying that?”  
Harry stares at Liam to tell him to shut up “There’s a charity gala this Friday and Liam and I are attending. I want you to come with me”  
Louis rotate on Harry’s lap to face Liam “Why isn’t it a good idea?”  
“Zayn’s mother organised it, there will be every lord you know down there, and quite frankly I’m not sure you’ll feel really welcomed there, I mean I don’t feel welcomed myself so..”  
“Oh..” Harry sighs “Thanks Liam”  
“He has a right to know”  
“So… Zayn will be there I take it”  
“Yes” Louis faced Harry, kissed him and smirked “Count me in then”  
Harry laughed, “You’re evil baby”

Louis left the office a big smile and shoot a text to Harry [what should I wear?] he pockets his phone back and head to his office.  
“I’ve got your papers”  
“Took you long enough”

Louis just smile at her before setting the paper on her desk and sitting at his. His phone vibrates in his pocket. [We’ll go shopping tomorrow, can’t have my baby underdressed ;)]  
Louis grinned at his phone before putting it on the side and resuming his work.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Wednesday found Louis at uni. After his classes he usually go back home but he was waiting for Harry to go shopping.  
“Hey Louis!”  
“Niall” the atmosphere was a bit tense mostly because they didn’t saw each other since monday night.  
“Listen, I’m sorry for what I said the other night ok, it’s just I feel like you’re always busy with one stuff or another, and you’re like never home”  
“Niall, I’m doing an internship, it’s important for me, I’m busy because I’m working”  
“I know but you don’t have time for me anymore, I feel neglected and really I feel bad for what I’ve said, you’re so far from a bitch it’s insane I could have think that” Louis hugged him  
“It’s ok pal, I’m not that upset”  
“Yeah? let me buy you lunch to settle it okay?”  
Louis bites his lips feeling a tad bad “I can’t now Harry and I have some things to do but I’ll come back home tonight. We could have take away and watch a movie like old times”  
“Yeah sure” Niall was disappointed, Louis could see it but he couldn’t do much about it now.

They were walking near the gates when a guy came from behind and hold Louis waist to stop him, Louis turned around batting the hand away “The fuck’s wrong with you?”  
Turns out it was Aidan, again. Louis rolled his eyes, the guy can’t just take no for an answer.  
“What do you want Aidan?”  
“You know what I want, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you round here where did you disappear?” He got closer and put both his hands on Louis’ waist  
“Far away from you if you really wants to know” said Louis, pushing the offending appendages away  
“Mate you should leave him alone” Niall said with a bit of apprehension in his voice  
“Mind your own business blondie” Niall huffed and said “Would have warned you”  
“So Louis how about you ditched little blondie here and I show you how a real alpha can take care of you”

Harry was parking his car when he saw Louis with Niall and another boy, he didn’t heard the exchange but Louis’ discomfort was enough to annoy him. He jumped out of his car and went straight for the group. Niall saw him first and turned to Louis to notify him.

Aidan didn’t have the time to touch Louis more when his hand is roughly grabbed by a much larger one  
“Do not touch what’s mine” the voice was calm but the warning was there  
“Harry I…” a look from Harry and Louis dropped it without adding anything  
“Do you understand me?” Aidan nodded frantically, not stupid enough to challenge an alpha undoubtedly more powerful. “Now run” He left quickly without one look to Louis.  
Harry turns and sneaks his arm around his babe, throwing a look Niall way, even if he doesn’t know what their argument was about he knows it wasn’t pretty so Niall presence was a bit surprising.  
“I’m not a threat, no need to look at me that way”  
“You sure about that?”  
“It’s ok Harry we talked, everything is fine” Harry stared at him before smiling at Niall “Well then, hello Niall nice to meet you” Louis beamed at him pleased to see his man making efforts like that.  
“Hello Harry, so where are you going?”  
“Shopping apparently”  
Niall looked at Louis with a raised eyebrow “Not my doing mate, not that type of omega remember”  
“Yeah you already said it”  
“Louis need clothes for an outing Friday night, so I’m treating him to the finest”  
“Ok well have fun then, I have to go back, see you tonight lou?”  
“yeah see you”

“Harry we can’t go there”  
“I know, I’m more of a YSL fan myself but I felt like you wouldn’t want to go there”  
“As if fucking Versace was any different”  
“Get used to it babe, it’s your life now”  
They enter the shop and a sale assistant was already on them, well more on Harry, Louis couldn’t care less until he realizes she was an omega. That just won’t do. He took a couple of steps closer to hear what she was saying.  
“I can help you find anything you’d like” she puts her bony fingers on Harry’s arm and even if the later didn’t paid attention Louis was clearly aware of what she was doing.  
He came even closer to her and whispered “Back off my man before I tear you a new one” he smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes, she took her paws off and stuttered a bit before going away.  
“That wasn’t really nice”  
“She should have thought about it before touching what’s mine” Harry beamed at him and Louis got lost in his eyes for a moment.  
“Do you see something to your fancy?”  
“I’m not sure, I really like the patterned blazer there but I feel like it would be a bit too much. What are you wearing anyway?”  
“An all black suit, black shirt and baby blue bow tie”  
Louis did a full turn to scan the entire store “baby blue you said” he walked with determination till he reached the black blazer he wanted. It was black with a nearly invisible baby blue zebra pattern, he took it from the stand and turned around as quickly as he came.  
“What do you think about that?”  
“You want us to match?”  
“Of course I do, you don’t?”  
“Hell yeah can’t wait to see my mother’s face”  
“Can’t wait to see Zayn’s face” Louis smiled, and turned to look for pants, “Jeans or dress slacks”  
“Really tight skinny jeans please” Harry said only half joking,  
“Ok I already have that so no need to buy another” passing by her, Louis dropped his blazer in the sale assistant arms, he went for the shoes next “Harry” He called over his shoulder “Derbies or Oxfords?”  
“I really like those” pointing to the blue derby Louis was holding.  
“Ok” he glanced a bit more at the Oxfords before putting them back and asking for a size seven.  
Joining Harry he saw him taking a shirt off it’s hanger “Take this it’ll go perfectly with the blazer”, it was a black shirt with a little gold detail on the lapel, upon further inspection Louis realise it’s the Versace Medusa, the brand logo. It wasn’t too big, just a touch of gold in a sea of black.  
“I love it”  
“You’ll look fantastic in it”

Harry turned around and nodded to their assistant, she brought everything to the cash register and turned to Harry, knowing full well he’ll be the one doing the paying.  
Louis didn’t mind because he knew what all this was about. He could indulge Harry when he wants to treat him like that because Louis wants to look his best in front of Harry’s parent. If he can’t convinced the father at least he can try with the mother.

Finally home after a long day, Louis decides to call his mother while waiting for Niall  
“Hello?”  
“Ma, it’s me Louis”  
“Oh Lou, How are you? how is your internship?”  
“I’m ok, it’s great I love it” He asked for update about his sisters and suffered during his mom recollection about something or another his stepdad had done, like he couldn’t care less about the man but he didn’t say that out loud.  
“So what aren’t you telling me?”  
“Mom….”  
“I know you hon…”  
“I’ve met someone…”  
“Oh who is he? Did you met him at work?”  
“That’s the thing Ma, it’s… he’s my boss, he’s like the big boss”  
“Lou I’m not sure it’s a good idea”  
“I know, but he’s so good to me, so lovely, he makes me feel so good…”  
“And…?”  
Louis sighs, this is it, he’ll tell her, either she’s angry or indifferent. “He’s an alpha”  
“Louis! No way”  
“Ma wait he’s great, he’s a good alpha”  
“Those animals are never good Louis, it will be flowers and birds till the moment they’ll get tired and replace you with one of those heat whores”  
Louis stifle a sob “But Ma I am an omega too”  
“Roh don’t remind me, you’ll better distance yourself from him Louis he’ll just use you and dump you on the side”  
Louis was full on crying at this point “Every alpha aren’t like him, and I’m surely not like you”  
he hanged up and cried on the couch wondering why he bothered to call her at all. That’s how Niall found him.


	5. Fight For This Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ball or where you meet the real bitch!!  
A little intro to Ziam!!
> 
> Hope you like this one guys
> 
> Love y'all  
Enjoy your reading Xx

Louis woke up thursday morning feeling sick, he didn’t want to do anything that day, but he had too. He doesn’t think calling in sick to work on his second week was wise. So instead of burying himself under his blanket like he wanted to do, he took a shower and went to work eyes still sore from crying himself to sleep. 

Kat didn’t comment on his appearance even though she definitely saw something was wrong, Louis was thankful for that. Instead she gave him some files to review during the morning. Things were rather slow at the office today and Louis was dying to have some interesting things happening just for having something other than his mother to think about.

“Trisha Malik is hosting a ball on Friday night” Kat says at some point, “Harry is going obviously”   
Louis raised his head to meet her eyes, she was watching him expectantly “Yeah I know, I’m his plus one”  
“You are?” she raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk “Things must be more serious between you than I thought”  
“You’re not the only one”  
“Are you ok Louis?”  
“Yeah… don’t really want to talk about it…”  
“It’s ok but if you need something just ask me yeah… If Harry is pressuring you in some kind of way or..”  
“Why do people always think alphas are just pushy animals, or that omegas don’t have any backbones to stand for themselves” Louis knew it wasn’t her intention but he was just fed up with all that nonsense  
“I didn’t say…”  
“Yeah but you were thinking it”  
“Ok… I’m sorry but If you need something just ask yeah”  
“Will do thanks”

Louis was about to launch himself in his work once again when Zayn barges through the door nearly knocking it out of its hinges. “We have a problem” Kat was about to reprimand him but she took a good look at his face and decided it was important enough to let the disrespect slides. “There have been a fire at Leyton during the night, apparently the guards on duty had been able to put it out before it causes too much damages”  
“And why are you telling that to me instead of deal with it with the techs?”  
“That’s the thing, it was criminal”  
Kat eyebrows disappeared in her hairline “Are you sure?”  
“Molotov, they found the remains of the bottles right under a broken window at the back of the Styles industries warehouse”  
“Does Harry knows?”  
“I don’t know he’s in a meeting”  
She was already up with her phone at her ear “Louis come with me we have to see Harry promptly, Zayn go fetch Liam and meet us in Harry’s office”  
The fact that Zayn didn’t even spared a hateful glance to Louis was telling enough on the gravity of the situation. It wasn’t really the kind of entertainment Louis was looking for.

Up at Harry’s office door, James stood up to block them “He’s in a meeting he can’t be disturbed now”  
“Move away he’ll want to know this” Kat said  
“But..”  
“No buts kid we have a real problem here”  
She sidestepped him and went to open the door

“Mister Styles sorry to disturb but there have been a break in the warehouses during the night that requires your attention”  
“Well I think we’ll postpone our discussion then Harry”  
It’s at this moment Louis realises they were interrupting a meeting with the bloody Prime Minister.   
“I’m sorry for that Mr. Cameron, I’ll have my assistant schedule a meeting at Downing Street as soon as possible”  
“I hope so, we need to finalize those signatures”  
Harry walk him through the door and saw him out just when Zayn and Liam was coming in  
“Mr Cameron”   
“Mr Payne” They shook hands and the PM was on his merry way. Harry closed the door and turned around watching them one by one before spitting out “What the bloody hell was that?”  
All heads turned to Zayn for him to talk   
“In shorts someone started a fire at Styles Industries with Molotov cocktails, the guards couldn’t catch the culprits but they had been able to put out the fire before any real damages could have been made.”  
“Are you kidding me”  
“I would love to but no”  
Harry walked to his desk and took his phone to call the quartermaster. After the call ended he sat rather ungracefully in his chair and put his face in his hands letting a loud sigh escape  
Liam took a step closer and asked “Do you think it’s linked to the Richardson case?”  
Harry raised a tired gaze to Liam “Do you?”  
“Well it may be”  
“They didn’t find any molotovs in their warehouse though” Kat said taking a seat at the desk, Louis right beside her.   
“Maybe it’s just stupid kids with too much time to spare” Louis rolled his eyes at Zayn stupidity “Yeah that far from the residential areas, it’s most unlikely”  
“And how would YOU know?”   
“Because I’m thinking, something your brain couldn’t be arsed to do apparently”  
“Fuck you bitch”  
“Diva”  
“Wannabe”  
Harry banged his fist on the table, the noise resonating in the room successfully put an end in their spitting contest, The growl that followed didn’t helped either, “Are you quite finished”  
The omegas bend their heads in submissions before uttering a synchronised “sorry”  
Harry turned his face to Kat before sighing once more “So, Richardson or not?”  
“It could be, but why being so reckless as letting the evidence in our warehouse and not in theirs, if they wanted us to know it’s linked they would have operate in the same way, whatever way it was”  
“They didn’t have time,” Liam said “We have guards and Richardson doesn’t, they had to be fast to start the fire so they used molotovs instead”  
Louis wanted to say something but Harry’s early anger was still resonating in his ears.   
Harry sat there thinking for five good minutes, “Zayn, I need to know who was working on site yesterday, get me that list asap”  
“I’m on it” Zayn got out of the office and closed the door behind him.  
“You think it’s intern work?”  
“No but I needed him to get out of here” Harry answered his eyes not leaving Louis, but not meeting his either. Louis was stubbornly looking away.  
“So what do you think it is then?” Liam asked, Harry shrugged without saying anything. “And you Louis you have an idea?”  
Louis turned his head toward Liam, he was watching him with a nice smile, encouraging him to speak “Hum, I think it’s bigger than that, bigger than a few fire I mean. Look at it this way first an unexplainable fire in one of our client facility that would obviously bring us to a possibly high advertised lawsuit. Then a fire in our own facility that stores the same kind of equipments that those at Richardson. They knew the fire wouldn’t require the intervention of firefighters because we have guards on watch duty. Criminal or not we would want to keep it lowkey just to be sure it didn’t add fuel to the lawsuit fire, no pun intended. I guess what I’m trying to say is we are the main target of those criminals. Our facilities, our reputation, they want to disperse our attention, tame our vigilance for something bigger. A sort of divide and conquer thing.”  
Louis didn’t leave Liam eyes for as long as he talked, but now he wanted to see Harry’s reaction, always eager to please. He wasn’t expecting the raised eyebrow though.  
“Where do you get all those ideas?” Louis blushed and ducked his head   
“We’re studying organized crime in school at the moment so, yeah… But I may be wrong”  
“Yeah but you may really be right too” Kat said, “I think it’s worth a shot to look in that direction”  
“Ok you and Louis do that while Liam and I will go to Leyton to attest the damages of the fire.”  
Harry stood up and everyone just started moving toward the door and the elevator, engrossed in their conversation.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

It took the rest of the week for Harry and his team to deal with the repercussions of the warehouse fire. Harry had to pull favors in Scotland Yard to have a team put together to investigate the premises, off the book. Louis took care of the remaining preparation of the Richardson case while Kat basically threatened every news outlet into not divulging anything about the whole ordeal.

“The weekend couldn’t have come sooner” Kat said letting out a tired sigh  
“Talk for yourself,” Louis answered with a pout, “I need to go back to my place, squeeze into a skinny jeans and a blazer, in order to waltz my way into what seems like the most unreachable family ever”  
“How hard can it be, prancing around in designer clothes and exchanging pleasantries with the high society”  
“You’re kidding right”  
“Yes I am, I’ll think about you when I am in my PJ’s with a glass of wine and Netflix on” she was laughing, not at all sorry for the mockery.  
“Please do”

Louis took his things and headed towards the elevator, Zayn was already waiting. He didn’t say anything for once and Louis was grateful he doesn’t need a headache on top of everything.   
When the door opened, of course Harry was already inside, waiting to head downstairs.  
“Mr Styles” Zayn  
“Harry” Louis  
“Ladies” Harry  
They exchange an eye roll because no matter how much they hate each other, omega solidarity is always running strong.  
“Still not a woman”   
“I would know” the playful tone wasn’t miss on Louis nor on Zayn for that matter  
“Harry mom said there will be a red carpet tonight, media, paps, the lot just wanted to warn you.”  
“Thank you Zayn”  
“A red carpet?”  
“Yes, my mom organised a charity gala for tonight, everyone who's anyone will be there”  
Louis watched him up and down and say “Better get change then”  
“Honey this shirt cost more than whatever ‘nice clothes’ you would have in your wardrobe”  
Harry rolled his eyes so high he feared to stay stuck like that. The ding of the elevator couldn’t have come sooner. They went out and Zayn speed out to his car with a ‘see you Harry’  
“How are you heading home?”  
“The tube as usual”  
“Too long come I’ll let you outside your building” They went to Harry’s car and hopped up in, Louis was getting good at ignoring the eyes on him.  
In front of his appartement Harry told Louis to be ready at 8.

Louis took his sweet time to get ready, after a long shower he took deep care of his hair, styling it in a quiff on top of his head. Satisfied with his hair he slips on his outfit, making sure his ass was looking extra good. Once clothed he checked himself in the full length mirror in his room.  
“Niallll!!”  
“What?” the blond boy came in his room, a half eaten sandwich in hand “Ooh Lou you’re dashing”  
“Yeah, you think?”  
“All eyes on you baby”   
Louis smiled big, he felt ready to take on the world. 

When Harry arrived, Niall opened the door with a whistle “Looking expensive as usual”  
“Thank you”  
“Louis, you’re sugar daddy’s here”  
“Really funny Niall” Louis got out of his room and hurried to the door, one glance at Harry and he really wanted to drag him into his room now, Armani suits and baby blue bow tie, Harry was a sigh for the angels. The alpha let his sight roam over his boy with hum of approval.  
“You ready?”  
Louis took a deep breath full of Harry’s scent and managed to let out a breathless “Yeah” He turns to his friend “See you Niall”

Once the door is closed Harry took Louis hand to lead him down the stairs and the car. Harry’s driver was already out to open the door. Louis slips in first followed by Harry.  
On their way to the Royal Albert Hall Louis couldn’t help but ask about the red carpet.  
“Don’t worry love, it won’t be long and I’ll be there along the way…”  
“But, I mean there would be pictures of you out now, there never have been before”  
“Well people was starting to wonder if I had something to hide apparently so here now they’ll have what they want” Harry said with a knowing smile, Louis smiled too. “But if you don’t want to be seen with me there’s no problem...”  
“No there’s no problem I would be honored to be seen with you Harry don’t be silly”

The car slowed down in front of the Royal Albert and Louis gasp at all the people gathered outside the doors. The door is opened by a bodyguard and Harry got out gracefully, the picture of elegance and charisma, he held his hand out for Louis and helped him out of the car. The people outside went crazy Louis felt like he was at a concert, paparazzi everywhere were shouting on top of each other, things Louis couldn’t even understand. Harry snakes an arm around his waist and guides him along the red carpet to play the game of the paparazzi.  
Near the entrance were stationed the media outlet, a lot of them were shouting Harry’s name to have a quick chat with him but he declines knowing Louis wouldn’t feel really comfortable.   
At the door they were greeted by a hostess, she took Harry’s name and guided them to their assigned table, near the front, the bests one Louis notes.   
Liam was already there, sat near two empty chairs. He stood up to greet them.   
“Hey you’re here, finally, I was starting to think you ditched me here on my own mate”  
“I thought about it, not gonna lie”  
He gave Harry a man hug and kissed Louis cheeks. “How are you Louis? ready for the madness?”  
“I thought the madness was outside actually” Liam laughed at that and said “You ain’t seen nothing yet”  
They took a seat, Louis between Liam and Harry.

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Trisha Malik is a distinguished woman and a wonderful host, she likes when everything is rolling according to plan, and most importantly, according to the plan she sets herself. She was watching over her gala with a keen eye making sure every guests was sat at the right place and every employees was doing his duty.  
What she didn’t plan was to see her son’s future mate, or at least she hopes, entering the premises with someone else at his arm. The shock was so high she couldn’t control her scowl. She strutted to her friend Anne immediately she needed answers.  
“Anne, Des, I didn’t have time to greet you yet, how are you?”  
“Wonderful, you’ve surpassed yourself once again Trisha” Des answered sincerely  
“Oh thank you, I try. It’s a lot of work all that”  
She indulged in small talk for a bit, waiting for them to bring the subject themselves, when they didn’t she took the matter into her own hands.  
“Do Harry will be there? I didn’t saw him yet?”  
“Oh yes, I’m sure he won’t be long now” Des casts a glance around to locate his son while his wife answered. “He’s already there” pointing to the table at the front.  
Harry was sit with his back to them and his arm loosely wrapped around Louis chair. He was laughing at something Liam has said. Trisha and Anne looked the way Des indicated. 

“Mom, Hey how are you?” Zayn walked up to his mother and greeted her with a hug, followed by a little bow to Des and a kiss on the cheek to Anne.  
“So well behaved” Des appreciated “How are you Zayn?”  
“I’m great, thank you” answered Zayn respectfully  
“Who’s this then? With Harry?” Trisha couldn’t help but ask  
“What the fuck is he doing here?” Zayn was so shocked he lost his good behavior, he didn’t want to believe the rumors that were running around in the office but it seems he should have.  
“You know him honey?”  
“Of course I do, he’s the new intern in the Legal Department, he works with Kat Everdeen, he’s her assistant.” a deep frown formed itself on his flawless features when he saw how close the bitch was to HIS man. “They were rumors running around about them at the office but I paid them no mind”

Des wrapped his arm around his omega before starting to walk to his son “We should go say Hi, don’t you think?” he turned to Trisha and said “We’ll have a word with him it should be settled in no time” he didn’t knew who he wanted to reassure the most, her or himself.

“Do not turn around, but your parents are coming our way” Liam said through a smile. Louis tensed a bit and Harry run his fingers on his shoulder to appease him.   
“Don’t worry, they won’t cause a scene there”  
“They’re getting closer” Liam said taking his drink in hand just for the sole purpose of having something to do.   
“Harry, what a pleasure to see you there, it’s so hard to have a hold on you nowadays” His mother greet enthusiastically  
“We dined together last Tuesday Mother, hardly enough time for you to miss me” He said standing up, he knew she wanted Louis to feel bad about Tuesday’s events and he won’t let that happen.   
“Be more respectful to your mother”  
“Oh because respecting her is everything you do right”  
“Harry!” Louis interrupted with a little voice, he didn’t want Harry to be the one causing a scene. The attention of the little group came on him and Louis made himself as little as he could.   
“And who’s this?”, said the mother with disdain. Harry smiled down at Louis and took his hand to help him up.  
“Mom, please, meet Louis, my boyfriend. Louis, Anne Styles, the mother. You already met my father”  
“A pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs Styles, heard a lot about you two” the heavy weight of Harry’s hand gave him a silent confidence boost.  
“So you met through work” it wasn’t a question, Anne’s look told Louis everything she was thinking about that  
“Please tell me what else Zayn told you about me?”   
“Not much really”  
“Not that there was a lot to know about the likes of you”  
“Be really careful about your choice of words... Father” The calm threat in his words was clear ‘Do not mess with my omega’.

Liam stood up and went to Louis other side, offering an extra support that the omega took gratefully. He watched around and catched Zayn eyes, sending him a tentative smile. Zayn ignore him once again and Liam wondered why he even bother anymore.  
“If you’re done harassing my omega, I’ll advise you to go to your table” Harry ended the conversation with a pointed finger to a table on the side of the room.  
“This conversation isn’t over son”  
“Yeah sure”  
When they left, Zayn and Louis crossed their eyes and held sight for a moment, Louis slowly turn toward Harry and raised on his tiptoe to put a deep kiss on his lips, Harry automatically put his hand on his face to deepen the kiss. When they separated they smiled to each other and reclaimed their seat, the murderous look on Zayn face completely lost to them.

Trisha saw red at the display of affection, that wanabe won’t come here and put a damper on her carefully laid plan.   
“I want to know everything about him, son. He won’t stop us when we’re this close to success”  
“How do you want me to find everything about Louis”  
“You’re in HR, you’ll find something now go”  
“Yes mom”

The gala was divided in two part. First a dinner of fine cuisine served by really skilled servers. Everything was beautiful and delicious and Louis couldn’t help but ask why all that money spent wasn’t directly given to the charity. After that came the auction part where everyone will fight to be the highest bidder, all in the name of charity of course. That time will also be used by the attendance to mingle with their peers and carefully set business deals, or so Harry said.

The dinner over, the servers came back to retrieve the dessert plate and exchange them with numbered wooden sign. Harry’s one was number 10, and even thought they were side by side Liam had the number 64. Louis didn’t had one, but it’s not as if he had that much money to spend anyway.  
“Why aren’t they following each other?”  
Liam let out a small giggle and turn to Harry “Care to explain Styles?”  
“Not really no”  
“Well you see Louis, in this kind of events it’s money that’s important. Everyone get a paddle depending on his personal wealth, inheritance and patrimony. The richer you are the upper you get. For example young Harold here is number ten because adding to his considerable personal wealth they also taking into account what’s he’s supposed to inherit from his family.”  
“Oh...ok. That’s a bit degrading... for number 100 I mean.”  
“You want to hear something funny? He pushed his father down three years ago and wormed his way to the top ten.”  
“Is it some sort of exclusive club, the top ten?”  
“Well normally only Royals are up there you know, the old Lady and her offsprings”  
Louis barked a laugh at old Lady before getting a grip on himself “It’s good I don’t have one then, it would be a ridiculously large sign with what would look like a phone number on it”

Just then a woman walked up on the stage in front of the table with a mic  
“Hello everybody and welcome to this Charity Gala. My name is Trisha Malik and I’m so grateful to all of you for being here. The charity we’re supporting tonight is such a great cause so dear to my heart. So please a round of applause for Children in Need everybody”. She stopped talking to let the people clap, and then raised a mic again. “Children in Need has been doing such a great job for children in the UK and abroad and it’s our duty as lucky people to contribute to those lives changing opportunities. I won’t talk more and I’ll let you with our auctioneer for the night to start the bidding. Have a nice night and let your wallets loose.”  
She gave the mic to a gentleman waiting aside and left the stage. The auction started right away with a painting apparently gifted by the Queen herself to the charity, starting price £500,000. After a few shy bidding the piece of art was bought by a sharply dressed man for £700,000. The man paddle indicated number twenty-something.

“Will you buy something guys?”  
“It would be ill-advised not to baby, that’s why we’re here after all”

The auctioneer carry on with the next item, a week-long vacation on a yacht for two people generously proposed by the Maliks. And it went that way for about an hour, a new prize, a new bidding war and thousands of pound pilling in the CiN piggy bank. Harry was half watching the auction, half conversing with several men that came to the table. Liam told Louis they were potential business partners.  
Louis leaned to Liam’s side whispering “Why isn’t it Harry that go to them?”  
“Because that’s how you seal deals Louis, you make them feel like you’re the one doing them a favour, see, Harry could have went to them but now that he’s the one still in his chair, he’s the one that held the power. Simple as that”  
“That’s some mind games I couldn’t win”  
“It asks a lot of training, but Kat is a pro she’ll teach you”

Harry’s father stood up addressing a sign to his son and walking to the back of the room, sign still in hand. Harry cut short his conversation with yet another potential partner to follow him with his sign.  
Louis watched them retreat before turning his gaze to Liam and starting a conversation about the benefits of spending money at such events when it was easier to sign a check to the charity they were supporting. 

Harry stopped in front of his father at a back table and dropped his sign on it, taking a glass of bourbon on the tray of a server passing by.   
“I talked with the Prime Minister today…” Harry rolled his eyes and took a sip “Don’t be a kid Harry, you can’t have the government against you, if you want to make it long term you have to walk alongside them”  
“They already own 15% of my company father what do they want more, I gave them more than any other private company in this damn Kingdom”  
“I know but you have to brush them right son, that’s how we do business”  
“No that’s how you do business, I prefer my method it prove itself successful thus far”  
“We both know business is a matter of choices and god knows your choices aren’t the most sensible at the moment”  
“If you’re talking about Louis I’m leaving”  
“Among other things, but listen no matter how much you want to separate your life from your business you won’t succeed. The person you’re seen with is the mirror of what people will see and think of you. If they don’t like it, they don’t like you. I’ve been easy on you, I didn’t said anything when you said you wanted a male omega, I even found you one but I draw the line there son. I won’t tolerate this nonsense. Zayn is what you need.”  
“And what about what I want?”  
“We don’t have everything we want”

At the same time, the auctioneer present a new prize, a brand new lamborghini Urus all options, matte black with gold details, limited edition only Three of them in the world, starting price £1,000,000. Harry raised his sign without really thinking.  
“We have a bidding at one million, who for one million five?”  
“Since when do you need a new car?”  
“I don’t but I need to bid for something”  
“One million five this way, one million ten?” Harry raised again “One million ten at the back, one million twenty someone?” Nobody bid higher “one million ten once… twice… one million ten considered sold to sign number 10, thank you Mr. Styles”  
“My pleasure” He cast a glance toward the front of the room and crossed the gobsmacked stares of Louis and Liam, he winked at Louis with a knowing smile. Louis just turned around and stared at Liam.  
“What just happened Harry?”  
“Dad you see but you do not observe, I just bought a car. And now I’m gonna go back to my seat and enjoy the rest of the night”  
He did just that, passing by the deposit desk, he took out a neatly folded check from his suit pocket and writes £1,100,000 and the order on it with a flourish before giving it to the treasurer with a wink “Don’t lose it” he resume his way to his seat and elegantly slide into his seat.  
“What did you just do for god sake, one million pound Harry, are you insane” Louis whisper-shout   
“What, it for a good cause, for the children remember”  
“Yes I know, and that’s great but you don’t even need a new car”  
“Yeah but I know someone who does” said Harry with a knowing smirk. Louis stared at him afraid of understanding, “No”  
“Yes”  
“No Harry, no way”  
“Yes Louis, of course yes”  
“I won’t drive a million-pound car, I’m telling you, I won’t. Liam tell him I won’t”  
“Nuh-uh I’m not interfering in this”  
“What’s the problem baby? Everyone would have been pleased to be gifted a new car”  
“Well, I’m not everyone, give it to Zayn I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to drive it”  
Harry’s face turned into a grimace “No thanks, I’ll drive it myself. But think of that awfully smelly tube once more for me okay”  
Louis groaned because Harry was right, the tube was awful and smelly and such a burden in Louis day.  
“I hate you” Harry smiled big because he knew he won.

A little bit after the Lambo ordeal, the auction run to an end and the auctioneer is replaced by a string quartet which played classical music.  
“Come baby, Come dance with me” Harry stood up and took Louis’ hand in his  
“I don’t know how to waltz Harry”  
“You don’t need to know, I’m the one leading” He brought Louis to the center of the ballroom where there weren’t any tables for this purpose. “Besides you waltz your way into my life quite well”  
Louis blushed and smiled “You’re the one that swept me off my feet”  
Harry took Louis right hand with his left, and put his right hand on his waist. Louis left hand fell naturally on Harry right shoulder and they started moving to the rhythm of the violin. Several couples joined them, but they didn’t saw them, too engrossed in their own bubble.  
“Want to know a secret, I don’t really like to dance”  
“So why are we here then?”  
“I wanted to show you off, look at them they’re all admiring you from afar.” Harry was right Louis lift his head to watch over Harry shoulder and several people were watching him. He felt his cheeks heaten once again and bend his head to rest it on Harry torso. “And I’m the lucky bastard that get to take you home and make you fall apart”  
“No Harry, lucky me. from all the omegas you could have get you chose me”  
“You’re perfect, you didn’t let me that much of a choice”  
Louis raised his head and catched Harry’s eyes, the sincerity he found in them warmed him in his belly. He glanced a bit around the room and behind Harry he saw… No way  
“You won’t believe with who Liam is dancing”  
“Tell me”  
“No turn me around you have to see this”  
Harry did just that, and Louis new it was worth it when he saw the face he made seeing his best friend dancing with no other than Zayn Malik, “Now, that’s an unexpected sight”  
“Indeed”  
Harry was sporting a little smile, knowing it was the first step of something more for his friend “I hope he knows where is going with Zayn”  
“I hope he’ll keep him busy enough for him to lay off your back”  
Harry laughed a little, “Jealous much?”   
“Immensely” Harry kissed Louis just when the music slowed down and morphed into something else  
“Let’s go beautiful, time to get you home, you look tired”  
“Don’t play with me Styles, I know you just want to see me naked”   
“Guilty”

They went to their table to take their belongings back, and a server joined them with the lamborghini golden key on a silver platter. “Mr Styles, I believe this is yours, the car will be waiting out front with a valet till you’re ready to take it with you”  
“That’s perfect, Thank you. We’ll leave now” Harry said taking the key of the plate and sending the server away. Handing it to Louis he said “Consider this a christmas present baby”  
“I still hate you”  
“No you don’t”  
“No I don’t”  
Harry help Louis in his blazer before shrugging his on. He takes Louis’ hand and led him to his parents tables, “We have to say goodbye”, reaching the table he saw Trisha and her husband, his parents and some of their friends.  
“Oh Harry, you’re leaving already?” Trisha stood up and rounded the table to give him a hug, slightly pushing Louis aside.   
“Yes I’m afraid, I had a long week at work and I’m quite tired” dislodging her from his arms he made quick work to drag Louis under his arm again. “It was a lovely reception Trisha I’m sure Children in Need will be thrilled to know about the success”  
“Oh Yes, they will, thanks to you, I hope the car suits your needs”  
“Plenty don’t worry.” He throws a knowing look at Louis, who blushed and looked away “It was a pleasure to be here, but we need to go. Ladies and gentlemen, have nice rest of your night” he turns his head to his parents before nodding in their direction. Finally he catches Liam’s eyes from across the room and salutes him from afar, Liam nods in understanding before refocusing fully on Zayn.

When they went outside the earlier frenzy had died a bit even if they were quite a few paparazzi around waiting to catch inebriated guests. As confirmed the car was waiting for them, Harry had send a message to his driver letting him knows they won’t need him for the return. He led Louis to the valet and showed the key to confirm they were, in fact, the new owners. He Handed them back to Louis and the valet gave them the necessary paper telling them they’ll need to update the insurance and informing them about the possibility of changing the licence plate. Harry smiled at that knowing Louis would find something unique to put on his plate.

“Ready to go baby”  
“Yep” Louis goes around the car and opened the door, Harry slide into the passenger seat while Louis was adjusting his seat, and rearview mirrors. He started the car and she let out the most beautiful roar a car could make, a real tiger.  
“I love this car”  
“I knew you would”

𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀𝛀

Liam nods goodbye to Harry and set his gaze on Zayn once again.   
"Why are you doing this? Dancing with me I mean"  
"Because I appreciate a waltz, and believe it or not I like your company"  
"Liam… I'm not sure it's a good idea, you're a great guy… sometimes but..."  
"I'm not Harry, I get it" Liam let out a self-deprecating laugh. The truth was, Liam knows he would never have Zayn, because however high his paychecks can be, he's just not posh enough for Zayn's ambitions. He stared at Zayn face, engraving it's beauty into his mind.   
"You're a good man Liam, you'll find someone suitable for you"  
"Why him though? Why Harry and no one else"  
Zayn looked at him weirdly and appeared deep in though, carry on dancing, without answering. He sent a rapid glance behind him before saying "It's always have been him, it'll always be him"  
Liam understood because it wasn't his choice to like the boy that much. Raising his head, Liam looked where Zayn did and crossed Zayn's mother deadly stare. For the first time he thought maybe it wasn't Zayn's choice either. He decided to bring Zayn back to his parents before they decide to kill him on the spot. Approaching the table LIam took Zayn's hand and kissed it like a true gentleman   
"It was a pleasure to dance with you Zayn, see you on monday" he holds his hand a bit more firmly before letting it go. Throwing a polite smile to the people sat at the table he made his way to the door and took out his phone to send a text.

[I hate you sometimes…]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Ziam heart is aching for what's to come


End file.
